Major coronavirus outbreak at UK meat factory supplying KFC
A chicken factory supplying meat to clients including KFC and Marks and Spencer has been hit by a major outbreak of coronavirus.
Around a quarter of the workforce at the processing plant are said to be self-isolating.
Efforts to tackle the ‘cluster’ of coronavirus cases at the 2 Sisters factory in Llangefni, North Wales, are being treated as a ‘priority’.
Unions have been told there are 13 cases of Covid-19 among staff, with 100 self-isolating as a precaution, BBC Wales Today reported.
Paddy McNaught, regional officer for the Unite union, told the programme: ‘It’s very frightening for the staff on site seeing all their colleagues being off work and so many people proving positive for having Covid-19.
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‘It’s clearly very frightening times and people are concerned, but we’re doing all we can to support those staff through our reps on site and with the company in taking actions to make it a safer environment as possible.’
Factory owner 2 Sisters Food Group has not confirmed the number of cases.
The company is one of the largest food producers in the UK, with brands including Fox’s Biscuits and Holland’s Pies, and customers such as supermarkets, KFC and Marks & Spencer.
According to its website, 2 Sisters produces around a third of all poultry products eaten every day in the UK.
A statement issued by Isle of Anglesey County Council said: ‘The North Wales Regional Test, Trace, Protect team is responding to the cluster of coronavirus cases at the 2 Sisters plant in Llangefni as a priority, and supporting the workplace.
‘Key agencies including Public Health Wales, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Health and Safety Executive and both Anglesey and Gwynedd Councils are working together to support and advise the employer and those employees who have tested positive, together with their contacts.’
A spokesman for 2 Sisters said: ‘As a responsible business our key priority is to continue to provide the safest possible workplace and support all colleagues at Llangefni, as we have been doing successfully for three months without one single positive case reported at the site.
‘The health and safety of every colleague is of paramount importance to us, which is why we have had a series of measures in place for some time, including regular and intensive deep cleaning and disinfecting regimes, the wearing of protective visors in production areas, and implementing social distancing throughout the factory.
‘We continually review and evolve these measures to reassure and protect all colleagues, and have redoubled our efforts since positive cases were confirmed. For instance, we have now introduced thermal temperature checks on entry and employed marshals to ensure social distancing is maintained in high traffic areas.’
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