Perhaps a lesson regarding the importance of social distancing, and how difficult it is to adhere to social distancing standards in a processing plant, Perdue Farms, Ohio County’s largest employer, has joined several other meat processing facilities in Kentucky that have experienced wide-spread outbreaks of coronavirus (COVID-19) among plant employees.
Dr. Steven Stack, Commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health, said Monday night that Perdue will test all its personnel after 181 employees at its Cromwell plant tested positive for the virus.
In the eight days from April 27 to May 5, the plant recorded 162 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There are about 1,200 workers employed at the plant. Facility-wide testing is scheduled to begin Wednesday, May 6.
Four of Grayson County’s 89 COVID-19 cases are employees at the Ohio County facility.
“I’ve been in communication with leadership from Perdue, talking about their plant in Ohio County,” Dr. Stack said. “I’m very grateful to them for the dialogue. They are going to test their entire factory tomorrow.”
As of late Tuesday afternoon, Ohio County had 74 confirmed cases of the virus, with 47 of those cases active, according to the Green River District Health Department.
BS USA, a meat processing facility in Jefferson County, has at least 34 COVID-19 cases and the Tyson Foods plant in Henderson County has at least 74 employees diagnosed with the virus, and closed down operations between April 30 and May 3. Specialty Food Group in Daviess County has at least 93 employees suffering from COVID-19.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
