The Coupar Angus plant is now closed
A food processing plant in Perth and Kinross has closed after four staff members tested positive for Covid-19.
Two other workers at the 2 Sisters facility in Coupar Angus are awaiting the results of a test for the virus.
NHS Tayside said there are two related cases in the community and arrangements are being made for testing other employees.
2 Sisters said the temporary move was “the responsible action to take.”
NHS Tayside Public Health was warned of the outbreak on Sunday.
Management at the poultry factory, which numbers about 1,000 people, decided yesterday to close the factory temporarily.
It is understood that a manager at the factory may have caught the virus from a close relative, who is not an employee of the plant.
The company said in a statement: “Our priority remains the safety and well-being of all colleagues, and we will closely investigate the situation in collaboration with the relevant regional and national task forces of Scottish Covid-19 before resuming production.
“The facility had previously operated for six months without including a single positive Covid-19 case.”
‘Fast trading’
A team of incident management is working with the Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland and local environmental health teams to provide advice and support.
Deputy Prime Minister John Swinney said: “Where clusters of businesses develop, we need to find them and act quickly to prevent further spread.
“Public health teams in Tayside are responding quickly to this outbreak and we are working closely with them, Food Standards Scotland and Perth and Kinross Council, to discuss all appropriate measures to contain this cluster.”
