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Belgian slaughterhouse is struggling with corona outbreak
The Belgian slaughterhouse Westvlees is struggling with a corona outbreak. The company has tested and quarantined more than 200 employees at the location in Staden after several infections emerged. Of the tested employees, 18 have positive results. The company says it will keep the slaughterhouse open.
Westvlees has a total of 225 employees in quarantine. This concerns employees who all work in the same closed department. Persons who have a family relationship with the employees are not included in this. The location will not stop production, because the virus has not yet spread to other departments. A spokesperson for Westvlees indicates that they will immediately switch to global testing if it turns out otherwise.
Outbreak in cutting department
The outbreak took place in the cutting department of Westvlees. After the infection was discovered, the slaughterhouse carried out large-scale corona tests among employees in this department. The activities of the cutting department will be taken over by another location for the time being.
In total, about 850 employees work for Westvlees. 25% has now been tested, with 18 positive results. The meat group is counting on a number of additional positive results, but does not dare to estimate how many there will be in the end.
Danish Crown
At the end of July, at a slaughter site of the Danish Crown in Ringsted, Denmark, employees have been quarantined after infections. There, a total of 60 employees tested positive. The company says it will not experience any further inconvenience due to the loss of employees. The pigs that would be slaughtered in Ringsted are now going to other slaughter locations.
Follow the latest news here about corona infections in meat processing.
Jorine Cosse
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