New Covid-19 test results on Sunday revealed that an outbreak at Pacific Seafood's plant in Newport has grown to 124 cases, reports KGW8 News.
The Oregon Health Authority announced 61 new cases tied to the plant in its daily report earlier Sunday. The state reported 146 new cases Sunday; its highest total in a single day during the pandemic.
The investigation into the outbreak started June 2, but the initial case count was fewer than five workers.
State and county health officials are working with Pacific Seafood to notify all those who have been confirmed positive and conduct "extensive" contact tracing.
The company temporarily closed its plant in response to the outbreak, the second time Pacific has had to close one of its facilities over coronivirus concerns. In May, Pacific temporarily closed its plant in Warrenton, Oregon, for a day after a worker there tested positive earlier in the week for the coronavirus.
The Newport plant was shut down Friday and was expected to resume operations on Sunday, Tony, Dal Ponte, general counsel for Pacific, told IntraFish, although it it is unclear whether this has been able to happen.
During the temporary closure, the facility will be professionally sanitized and free Covid-19 testing will be provided to the more than 375 workers at the plant.
"Testing is taking place right now, and the professional cleaning is already complete," Dal Ponte told IntraFish on Friday afternoon.
Pacific said the infected workers have not been in the plant since June 1, and are resting well at home.
"Contract tracing was started immediately to alert workers who were in close proximity with them," the company said.
