Pacific Seafood has once again been hit by a "major outbreak" of COVID-19 among workers at its facility in Warrenton, Oregon.
In total, 94 out of 265 workers have now tested positive for the virus, according to the latest figures from the company.
On Friday, the Clatsop County Public Health Department said a testing of the plant’s 159-member night shift by a private laboratory found 77 of the workers tested positive for the illness.
The Oregon Health Authority is taking the lead in arranging for quarantine of the affected individuals, and conducting tracing of family and other contacts of those workers.
Following the discovery, the agency then also arranged testing of members of the plant’s day shift last week.
Out of these106 workers tested on Thursday and Friday only 5 tested positive for COVID-19 and one test is still pending.
"The low positive rate in the second round of testing confirms the report from the Clatsop County Health Department of an increase in COVID cases stemming from the Labor Day holiday," said John King, general manager at Warrenton.
The vast majority of workers who tested positive reside in off-site seasonal housing at an area hotel, and initial cases can be clearly traced to Labor Day social activities.
"The low number of positives among team members who do not reside at that hotel confirms that the robust prevention protocols we maintain in our facility are working," said King.
“We continue to work with the Oregon Health Authority to complete contact tracing and contain spread in our community."
All workers who tested positive or have been in close contact with a positive case are quarantining.
The vast majority are seasonal workers who do not have children in local schools and use private transportation to commute to work.
"We are in regular contact with all workers impacted by recent test results to ensure that they are adhering to quarantine requirements and have all of the support they need," said King.
None of the individuals who tested positive have been hospitalized.
It is the latest in a string of outbreaks for Pacific Seafood stretching back to the spring.
Earlier this month, the company reported an outbreak at its high-volume Bandon Pacific Seafood plant in Coos Bay in Oregon.
In July, the Oregon Health Authority took over contract tracing and other steps to contain the spread of the coronavirus at Pacific Seafood's processing plant in Warrenton, following more positive tests for the virus.
In June, an outbreak at Pacific Seafood's plant in Newport, Oregon, grew to 124 cases. The company reopened the plant later in the month.
In May, Pacific Seafood also temporarily closed the plant in Warrenton for a day after a worker there tested positive for the coronavirus.
