Norwegian salmon farmer SalMar has shut down part of its InnovaMar factory on Nordskaget in Froya, as employees test positive for COVID-19.
On Thursday, the company identified a newly infected employee and decided to close down one of the departments until the situation comes under control.
"In connection with the outbreak of coronavirus on Froya, one new infection has been detected today, Jan. 7, who is employed by Salmar with workplace InnovaMar," said Frode Arntsen, executive vice president for industry and sales in SalMar.
"The infected person is being closely monitored by the emergency response team in Froya municipality."
All close contacts have been tracked and sent for testing and other employees in this team have been quarantined pending tracking and testing.
SalMar is taking further action by closing down the entire department for pre-rigor filleting from Friday Jan. 8 and until the situation is under control, said Arntsen.
30 in quarantine
Another employee at the InnovaMar factory in Froya received a positive test for COVID-19 on Jan. 5.
"He was immediately quarantined, and the production line he worked on was closed," said Arntsen on Wednesday.
All 30 production line employees are now in quarantine, he said.
"We have been prepared for this to happen, and have a protocol for how we will handle it, but it obviously has a certain consequence for production when we have to close down a line," said Arntsen.
