More than 180 infections have been linked to
the plant and officials expect that number to
dramatically rise. Testing of its 2,800 workers
is expected to begin Friday. Cases and
hospitalizations in Black Hawk County have
skyrocketed in recent days and local officials say
the plant is the source of most infections.
In addition to those who have tested positive
for the virus, hundreds of workers were staying
home out of fear, and the plant had been
running at reduced production levels.
Employers have struggled to contain the virus
in meatpacking plants, where workers toil side
by side on production lines and often share
crowded locker rooms, cafeterias and rides to
work. While plants have added safety measures,
public health experts say social distancing is
virtually impossible.
Several facilities have temporarily closed due
to virus outbreaks, including a Smithfield
Foods plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, a JBS
USA plant in Worthington, Minnesota, and a
Redwood Farms Meat Processors in Estherville,
Iowa. Others have stayed open or resumed
production after pauses for testing and cleaning.
On Wednesday, Tyson announced it would close
a pork plant in Logansport, Indiana, and that its
2,200 workers would undergo testing after some
became infected with the virus. The plant takes
hogs from farmers across nine states.
In Texas, state health investigators said
Wednesday they have identified 114 cases of
COVID-19 “associated” with a JBS Beef plant
and are working to determine whether there’s
an ongoing source of infection. Department of
State Health Services spokeswoman Lara Anton
said the company contacted the agency last