SLAUGHTERHOUSE CLOSED AFTER SEVERE COVID-19 OUTBREAK

Alberta Health Services says it is responding directly to a COVID-19 outbreak that has infected hundreds at a hog slaughterhouse where almost two-thirds of workers have at least one other job outside the plant. Spokeswoman Heather Kipling said Tuesday nurses and contact tracers are helping manage the outbreak at Olymel's pork plant in Red Deer, Alta. The health agency is also arranging for ongoing testing to monitor for asymptomatic spread. Alberta Health has been notified of 343 cases linked to the outbreak. Of these, 200 are active, 142 recovered. One worker has died. Olymel said late Monday it was shutting down the hog slaughtering, cutting and deboning plant indefinitely because it believed it could no longer be operated safely and efficiently. The outbreak started in November, but cases began to rise significantly starting Jan. 20, the company said. Thomas Hesse, present of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 401, said the union was relieved as it had been calling for the closure of the plant for weeks.