A COVID-19 cluster linked to Cedar Meats Abattoir in Melbourne, now numbers 45, according to the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
DHHS said the first case in the cluster was diagnosed on 2 April, but said the worker had not been at Cedar Meats for four weeks so the abattoir was not considered an exposure site. The second and third cases linked to the workplace were diagnosed on 24-25 April, and were the first indication of a possible cluster, it said.
Chief health officer Brett Sutton said contact tracers were investigating whether the cluster was due to some employees being part of a close-knit community outside of work.
The third case was diagnosed after the worker developed symptoms while at Sunshine Hospital with a severed thumb from a workplace injury.
Cedar Meats agreed to close the facility for 14 days as a precaution to ensure all required steps are taken, including a thorough cleaning process.
In a 4 May statement, Cedar Meats general manager Tony Kairouz said the company became aware of an employee having COVID-19 after they were hospitalised for an unrelated matter on 27 April. Media
Two days later he was informed four staff had contracted the virus, and all worked in one area of the plant.
Kairouz said the company had worked with and followed the advice for the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and was thankful for their support.
DHHS tried to arrange onsite testing for the 350 staff, but it was more efficient for staff to access nearby testing facilities, he said.
By the end of 1 May all staff had been tested. All workers are self-quarantining and we are working closely with the Victorian health authorities.
Kairouz said: “For the past few days our focus has been 100 per cent inward - on closing down the processing side of our business, taking care of staff and animal welfare. We have in no way sought not to be transparent with the Victorian community. We are deeply saddened that there is speculation that we have sought to hide from something that is not of our making - it is an outbreak of a worldwide pandemic at our plant.
“All meat processed at our facilities is processed in accordance with Australian Standards for food safety and our customers can be confident that the meat processed at our facilities is safe to eat.”
PrimeSafe is the food safety regulator of Victoria’s meat and seafood industries and assisting DHHS in managing the outbreak at the abattoir.
It is assisting DHHS to determine that food safety regulatory requirements have been met by the facility, and to understand supply chain connections to assist with staff tracing.
“All meat processed at PrimeSafe licensed facilities must be fit for human consumption and produced in accordance with Australian Standards for food safety. This includes meat processed at the Victorian meat processing facility.
“In accordance with advice from Food Standards Australia New Zealand there is no evidence that COVID-19 can be transmitted to people through food or packaging. Based on this information, consumers can have confidence that meat processed at the facility is safe to eat,” it said.
