Coronavirus: 42 confirmed cases at Wexford meat plant

Slaney Foods in Bunclody confirms facility operating at reduced capacity after outbreak

A meat processing plant in Co Wexford has confirmed 42 cases of Covid-19 following screening of all staff last Friday.

Slaney Foods in Bunclody said it was operating at a "significantly reduced capacity" and all close contacts of those impacted were self-isolating.

“Staff safety and public health is our priority and Slaney Foods will continue to work with the HSE in relation to the matter,” the company said in a statement on Monday evening.

“Since the advent of Covid-19 Slaney Foods has introduced a range of industry leading protection measures as part of an industry-wide initiative. These include limiting site access to essential personnel, temperature checks at the entry to the site, staggered break times, Perspex partitions where appropriate, social distancing measures in canteens and all other communal spaces as well as detailed protocols for colleagues who display any symptoms.

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“We are continually evolving and improving the measures to ensure safety at all our sites.”

Of the 1,372 Covid-19 cases reported on Monday, 75 were in Co Wexford, the fourth highest number of cases in the country.

Sarah Burns

Sarah Burns

Sarah Burns is a reporter for The Irish Times