TWO FOOD FACTORIES IN CORNWALL ARE HIT BY COVID OUTBREAKS

BOSSES at a Westcountry food factory where more than 170 people have tested positive for coronavirus says it has introduced measures to reduce the risk of a further spread of the disease.

Most of the cases at the Pilgrim’s Pride meat processing plant in Pool, near Redruth, were asymptomatic, the local public health team said.

An alert to the national test and trace service from a single member of staff led to 500 colleagues at the plant being tested.

The company says it has introduced extra measures and checks its compliance with

Covid-19 controls on a daily basis.

A spokesperson for Pilgrim’s Pride added: “From the outset we have worked conscientiously to do all we can to protect our workforce and the local community.

“Our teams have been working extremely hard in collaboration with the local authority and public health to manage this challenging situation, and have bravely conducted themselves with professionalism and integrity as they continue to play their important role in maintaining the UK food supply chain.”

Rachel Wigglesworth, interim director for Public Health for Cornwall Council, said: “Our team has been working tirelessly since the beginning of the pandemic, and have strengthened our local Covid-19 contact tracing approach to help detect cases early, prevent spread and support people to self-isolate.

“We’ve quickly identified and tested hundreds of people, and in finding people who weren’t displaying symptoms we have potentially stopped much wider spread in our communities.

“We continue to closely monitor the situation and appreciate the cooperation of Pilgrim’s Pride Ltd. and their employees.”

Coronavirus cases in the South West remain relatively low, despite spikes in other parts of the country.

In the seven days up to September 27, there was an infection rate of 31.5 per 100,000 people in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, with 180 positive cases.

This was up from a prevalence of 20.1 per 100,00 people the week before, and 115 confirmed cases, according to calculations.

Meanwhile workers at a second food production factory in Cornwall are self-isolating after a member of staff tested positive for the coronavirus.

A worker at Danish Crown, near Bugle, was found to have the virus after being sent home to self-isolate They developed symptoms earlier in the week, with another employee also isolating after being contacted by NHS Track and Trace.

Danish Crown said that a number of workers who were in proximity to the individual who tested positive have also been sent home as a precautionary measure and they are committed to keeping their colleagues and wider communities safe.

Staff at the factory said the number of employees sent home by the company is as many as 12.