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There has been a Covid-19 outbreak involving more than 20 cases at a meat processing plant in Co Waterford, according to the Siptu union.
Greg Ennis, Siptu’s organizer for meat plant workers, confirmed he was aware of a “significant outbreak” at a Co Waterford plant run by Dawn Meats.
Ennis, who said he was in contact with workers at the plant, said he understood the outbreak was related to “20 to 30 cases.”
Responding to inquiries about the outbreak from local TD David Cullinane, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly confirmed that a recent group linked to a workplace had led to 28 coronavirus cases, without identifying the facilities.
In a statement, Dawn Meats declined to comment on reports of an outbreak at the Co Waterford plant.
“We do not plan to publish updates or comment on the test results at specific plants, where positive tests are identified, we will ensure that all personnel, close contacts and the HSE and relevant authorities are fully informed,” said the release.
“Dawn Meats’s approach is that any staff member who may be forced to isolate himself in accordance with HSE guidelines will continue to pay,” he said.
The company said that all of its facilities “undergo a deep cleaning on weekends as part of our Covid monitoring program.”
Mr. Ennis said he welcomed the fact that workers who had to isolate themselves would continue to get paid.
The Siptu official criticized the lack of information provided by the company about the outbreak.
“There are restrictions on the part of the meat plant to release information, and that is not good enough,” he said.
A spokesperson for the Health Service Executive (HSE) said it was not commenting on outbreaks or individual clusters.
Serial testing of workers at meat plants stopped last week, but resumed in recent days.
Ennis said he was “extremely concerned” about the testing situation on meat plants, which had been shown to be “unprecedented vectors of the virus.” The union leader said he appreciated the fact that massive testing of plant workers resumed this week.
Large outbreaks of the virus at food processing plants contributed to the decision to introduce local closures in Kildare, Laois and Offaly in early August.
In recent days, the state’s acting medical director, Dr. Ronan Glynn, said that, in addition to Dublin, he was also concerned about the increase in Covid-19 cases in several counties, including Waterford.
Speaking in the Dáil on Thursday, Sinn Féin’s deputy director Pearse Doherty said the lack of information about the outbreak in Waterford and similar workplace groups “is not good enough.” The Donegal TD asked the HSE to post cluster details at work sites.
Tánaiste and Enterprise Minister Leo Varadkar said the HSE and the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) “should be as transparent as possible in giving details of where the clusters are located.” However, he said that should not result in “stigmatizing people” or situations in which people can be identified.
“If the doctors and public health officials dealing with the cluster believe that a place has an outbreak and should be closed, the government supports any decision to close a business, a meat plant, a school or whatever else if it is the right thing to do. in public health terms, ”said Varadkar.
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