COVID-19 shuts down Fry Foods processing plant in Weiser; cluster of cases discovered – Ontario Argus Observer

ONTARIO A food processing plant in Weiser voluntarily shut down on Sunday afternoon after receiving a phone call from an employee who had tested positive for the novel coronavirus COVID-19, according to a company official.

We brought in a separate sanitation crew and cleaned the plant, said Douglas Wold, human resources manager, for Fry Foods, Inc. during a phone interview today. I ended up getting ahold of the health department on Monday.

Since then, a cluster of COVID-19 cases has been discovered among employees. Eight have tested positive, but Wold says those cases have all been condensed to a party that took place with out-of-state guests, throughout the week prior to the first case being reported.

Those individuals are also close contacts outside of the workplace, reads a news release from Southwest District Health, which states it has been working closely with Fry Foods.

They were symptomatic first, so they brought it from out of the state, Wold says.

He clarified that the party was actual to a series of visits that lasted almost a whole week with a lot of coming and going.

At least 80 of the plants employees have been tested, he said, adding that he created a bubble chart to track cases. Those tests have all been by courtesy, he said, adding that there were no symptoms.

Right now, we dont have any confirmed in-plant transfer cases, it was all at this party, Wold says, adding fingers crossed.

Contact investigations are underway with those who have tested positive, and epidemiologists will notify people who may have been potentially exposed.

Individuals who do not receive a call from the health district have not been named as a close contact and do not have cause for elevated concern, reads the health authoritys news release.As with any cluster of illness in the community, SWDH will continue to work closely to monitor and respond to any changes.

As far as the length of time the plant will stay closed, Wold said it was premature to decide now, but that they were prepared to stay closed for fourteen days if it was the best decision for the community and the employees.

Fortunately, none of the food that was processed during the time-frame of the party has left the plant, he says.

We have contacted the people we supply out of courtesy, he said. But were taking precautions.

This has included putting food into storage that was packaged during that time. Wold says company officials are hopeful that if it sits in storage long enough and there was any virus exposure, that it would die.

Nothing went out, it went into a subzero freezer, he said.

According to federal and state health authorities, there is no evidence that COVID-19 is transmitted through food or food packaging. For this reason, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not anticipate that food products would need to be recalled or be withdrawn from the market if they were produced in a facility during a time period a worker was potentially shedding the virus.

Wold says the health department did not tell operators to shut down the plant, but that owners of the company opted to do so out of an abundance of caution.

As of today, 20% of the plants employees have been tested by courtesy Wold says, adding that those tested havent had any symptoms.

The company has been and continues to be very responsive and is taking appropriate precautions to ensure the health and safety of the staff, according to Southwest District Health.

Nikole Zogg, the health authoritys director, reminds citizens that it is still important to take precautions to protect both yourself and others around you.

Please avoid social gatherings with those not in your immediate household, continue to practice physical distancing, stay home when you are sick, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer often, and wear cloth face coverings when leaving your home, she says.

Citizens with COVID-19-like symptoms, such as respiratory illness with fever, cough or difficulty breathing should call their medical provider prior to going.

Southwest District Health serves a six-county region, which includes Washington and Payette counties. The cluster at the food plant, brings Washington Countys total cases to 10. There have been 14 cases in Payette, with two deaths reported.

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COVID-19 shuts down Fry Foods processing plant in Weiser; cluster of cases discovered - Ontario Argus Observer