(CNN) – 373 employees and contract workers at Triumph Foods in Buchanan County, Missouri have tested positive for coronavirus. All were asymptomatic, according to a press release from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
The state of Missouri has reported 8,386 cases and 352 deaths statewide as of this Sunday night, according to the Health Department website.
Triumph, a pork processing plant, is located in St. Joseph, on the Missouri-Kansas border.
It is just one of dozens of meat packing plants and food processing facilities across the country that have seen outbreaks of the virus, forcing shutdowns and raising concerns about possible food shortages.
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Continuous testing at the plant
Testing at the plant has been ongoing since last week, and results have been arriving in recent days, according to the DHSS statement.
As of April 30, at least 1,500 had received the test, according to a previous statement.
“We continue to work this weekend contacting these asymptomatic patients and have begun the process of seeking contacts with those determined to be close to our positive cases,” said Dr. Randall Williams, director of DHSS, in the statement.
DHSS wants people with symptoms or those who have come in contact with a positive case to contact their health care provider for testing.
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17% of employees tested positive
Mark Campbell, CEO of Triumph Foods, thanked employees for testing in a message from video on Sunday. “Being tested with a swab was not very fun, however, the test results will be critical in helping us understand where the coronavirus is in our facilities and in our communities.”
Laboratory results indicate that 17% of those tested are positive for the virus, Campbell said.
People with positive results have been asked to stay home and isolate themselves. They will continue to be paid according to the politics the company’s covid wage continuation, according to Campbell.
The company also provides care packages, including hand sanitizer and face masks, to infected workers. In an effort to curb the spread, the company continues to clean and disinfect the facility, Campbell said.
CNN’s Brad Parks contributed to this report.
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