Up to 30 workers at the Walsh Mushroom plant in Golden, Co Tipperary are understood to have tested positive for coronavirus over the weekend.

Local fears of a lockdown similar to that imposed in Kildare, Laois and Offaly are being downplayed by one politician in the county.

“I spoke to Minister [for Health, Stephen] Donnelly last [Sunday] night and my understanding is there will be no lockdown in Tipperary,” Independent TD Michael McGrath has said.

“They expect to be able to contain the virus in a reasonable way in the local area.”

Quarantine

The independent TD said his understanding was 112 employees from the mushroom farm and processing plant were tested over the weekend and that a large number of the positive cases were asymptomatic.

“I expect they would be quarantined and that the authorities would enforce that,” McGrath said, adding that people needed to be serious about protecting the health of vulnerable people in the community.

This brings the total number of clusters in fruit and vegetable settings across Ireland up to six.

Workers

The workforce at Walsh Mushrooms in Golden is mainly made up of eastern Europeans.

Operations at the plant were suspended on Friday after a member of staff was diagnosed with COVID-19 while in self-isolation.

Walsh Mushrooms stated it was the first incidence of COVID-19 up to that point and it was working with the HSE and all relevant authorities assisting in contact tracing and testing of all staff.

“We will use the opportunity to deep clean the plant during the temporary closure. Essential maintenance will continue at the facility. The safety, well-being and protection of our employees, their families and the local community is our number one priority,” the company stated.

The HSE and the Defence Forces constructed a temporary testing facility on Friday evening at Golden Church to test the workers over the weekend.

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