MEAT PACKERS HIT WITH 47 NEW CASES
SIGNIFICANT coronavirus clusters have emerged in meat factories, asylum seekers’ centres, and among the Traveller community, health officials have warned.
Construction and food production sectors have also experienced ‘significant outbreaks’, according to the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).
There have been four new clusters in direct provision centres, with 47 new cases and two new clusters in the Traveller community, with 21 new cases.
There have also been four new outbreaks in workplaces with 57
‘Asylum seekers are being failed’
new cases. Of these cases, 47 were in meat processing plants.
This week, the Irish Daily Mail reported that Kildare Chilling Company had become the latest meat factory hit by an outbreak of Covid-19, with sources suggesting that 20 of its workforce have tested positive.
Separately, seven cases were confirmed at ham processing and packaging facility Carroll’s Cuisine in Tullamore, Co. Offaly.
Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr Ronan Glynn said NPHET had ‘growing concerns’ around the rise in cases. Senator Ivana Bacik said an urgent targeted response is required for vulnerable populations.
‘It is clear from the NPHET advice that an urgent targeted cross-Government response is needed to deal with the emergence of a concerning number of clusters amongst vulnerable populations,’ she said.
‘Asylum seekers and other vulnerable groups are being failed currently, and we should be taking preventative rather than reactive action to protect such groups,’ she said.
‘Historically, the largest cases overall have been in Dublin. However, in recent weeks the virus has been significantly predominant elsewhere,’ she said.
The outbreaks come as NPHET reveals that there have been no further deaths with coronavirus. However, 50 new cases were notified, bringing the number of Irish infections to 26,303.