Banham Poultry workers isolate after Covid-19 outbreak

Nearly 100 employees working at Banham Poultry’s facility in Attleborough, UK, have tested positive for Covid-19.

According to the BBC, the company has urged its employees and their households to self-isolate after the facility’s outbreak.

Norfolk County Council public health director Dr Louise Smith said: “Following the Covid-19 outbreak in the cutting room at Banham Poultry, we announced last Friday that we were expanding testing to staff working across the rest of the site.

“Those tests have identified further positive cases. As a response, Banham Poultry will ask the affected staff to self-isolate for 14 days.

“Staff and their households, including children, must self-isolate for 14 days if they have not tested positive or not been tested. Staff must isolate for ten days if they have had a positive test result, and their households, including children, need to isolate for 14 days.

The council said that 477 tests have so far been carried out at the facility, where nearly 800 people work. A total of 96 employees tested positive and more results are to follow.

Smith added: “Anyone who has not been tested is urged to apply for a test and more mobile units are being brought in to support this.

“As the relevant regulatory agencies have confirmed the building has been deep cleaned, the company is bringing in a new group of 45 people to continue to staff the slaughterhouse. This will ensure that the euthanising of birds can continue, in accordance with the usual regulations.

“We appreciate this is a difficult situation for the company and its staff but we must take this action to curb the spread of Covid-19 across the county.”

Earlier this week, 2 Sisters Food Group announced that it is reopening its poultry processing factory in Coupar Angus. The facility was shut temporarily last month after the Covid-19 outbreak.