LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Three Los Angeles County food plants were forced to temporarily shut down after dozens of their employees contracted coronavirus.
Golden State Foods Corp. in the City of Industry had 43 cases of the coronavirus, S&S Foods in Azusa had 58 cases, and Mission Foods in Commerce had 40 cases, according to Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of Public Health for Los Angeles County, and the department’s website.
“They had significant outbreaks among their employees,” Ferrer said in a briefing on Monday, noting that the three had more than 40 cases of COVID-19 and had not notified the county as required.
This comes after at least 375 employees at the Los Angeles Apparel manufacturing facility in South Los Angeles tested positive for coronavirus. At least four of them died of the disease.
The plant closed on June 27, but was allowed to reopen last week.
Los Angeles County has recorded 176,028 cases of COVID-19 and 4,375 deaths from the disease.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis released the following statement Tuesday in response to the closings, noting that companies that do not comply with the regulations could face suspensions.
“Essential workers keep our economy moving, our shelves full of food, our hospitals clean, and continue to do honorable work. I urge employers to review the guidance of the Department of Public Health so that they can fulfill their duty to their workers to keep them safe and healthy. If violations occur, businesses can be closed and, starting in late August, businesses that do not file complaints will receive fines ranging from $ 100 for the first offense to $ 500 and a 30-day permit suspension after various offenses. “
RELATED: Employees at Silver Lake Whole Foods Store Contract Coronavirus
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