A pattern of mass COVID-19 outbreaks in Irish meat factories was established as far back as April, State documents have revealed.
The Irish Farmers Journal has seen internal briefing documents prepared for the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) showing that the first outbreak of COVID-19 in meat factories was notified as far back as 11 March.
Between March and the end of April, 90% of factory clusters had experienced their first case of COVID-19 among meat workers with a number of outbreaks still ongoing and not under control by the time the document was submitted to NPHET on 3 June.
By that stage at the start of June, there were 20 reported clusters in meat factories with 1,054 workers testing positive for the virus. Documents show that 825 (78%) of cases were linked to just six meat plants.
Positive cases among workers rising to 214
The largest outbreak had its first reported case on the 19 April with positive cases among workers rising to 214. The documents outline that mass testing had been undertaken at the plant more than once but the outbreak was still ongoing by 1 June.
“An outbreak is deemed over when 28 days have passed since the last case of COVID within the facility. No facility has had more than one outbreak,” documents state.
Overall, seven plants were subject to mass testing with two plants having to undergo repeat mass testing.
Documents show that in plants outside of those six, cases of COVID-19 were relatively low, with the majority of plants having 40 or fewer cases.
Meat Industry Ireland (MII) has acknowledged that there were six large clusters between April and May but pointed out that in the two-month period between June and 4 August there had been just five additional cases in meat processing plants they represented. It also said that 99% of affected staff had recovered and returned to work.
Testing
The Irish Government is rolling out a testing regime for factory workers after outbreaks in four plants triggered the first localised lockdown in Kildare, Laois and Offaly last Friday.
However, questions have been raised over why Irish authorities didn’t learn from local lockdowns in Wales and Germany caused by COVID-19 outbreaks in meat factories in June.
Latest figures from the Department of Health show 1,407 confirmed cases among meat factory workers, with 35 cases hospitalised.
This number is expected to rise as it is understood that one of the recently affected plants, Kildare Chilling, is still waiting for the results of 200 workers.
Read more
HSE to foot new factory testing bill
Fears of further factory closures
A pattern of mass COVID-19 outbreaks in Irish meat factories was established as far back as April, State documents have revealed.
The Irish Farmers Journal has seen internal briefing documents prepared for the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) showing that the first outbreak of COVID-19 in meat factories was notified as far back as 11 March.
Between March and the end of April, 90% of factory clusters had experienced their first case of COVID-19 among meat workers with a number of outbreaks still ongoing and not under control by the time the document was submitted to NPHET on 3 June.
By that stage at the start of June, there were 20 reported clusters in meat factories with 1,054 workers testing positive for the virus. Documents show that 825 (78%) of cases were linked to just six meat plants.
Positive cases among workers rising to 214
The largest outbreak had its first reported case on the 19 April with positive cases among workers rising to 214. The documents outline that mass testing had been undertaken at the plant more than once but the outbreak was still ongoing by 1 June.
“An outbreak is deemed over when 28 days have passed since the last case of COVID within the facility. No facility has had more than one outbreak,” documents state.
Overall, seven plants were subject to mass testing with two plants having to undergo repeat mass testing.
Documents show that in plants outside of those six, cases of COVID-19 were relatively low, with the majority of plants having 40 or fewer cases.
Meat Industry Ireland (MII) has acknowledged that there were six large clusters between April and May but pointed out that in the two-month period between June and 4 August there had been just five additional cases in meat processing plants they represented. It also said that 99% of affected staff had recovered and returned to work.
Testing
The Irish Government is rolling out a testing regime for factory workers after outbreaks in four plants triggered the first localised lockdown in Kildare, Laois and Offaly last Friday.
However, questions have been raised over why Irish authorities didn’t learn from local lockdowns in Wales and Germany caused by COVID-19 outbreaks in meat factories in June.
Latest figures from the Department of Health show 1,407 confirmed cases among meat factory workers, with 35 cases hospitalised.
This number is expected to rise as it is understood that one of the recently affected plants, Kildare Chilling, is still waiting for the results of 200 workers.
Read more
HSE to foot new factory testing bill
Fears of further factory closures
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