Thai Union has announced that it has had a worker test positive for COVID-19 at the company’s European Seafood Investment Portugal (ESIP) plant, located in Peniche, Portugal.
The worker, according to a release from Thai Union, first announced they were feeling unwell on 20 May. Later, that worker tested positive for COVID-19 on 23 May.
As a result, 200 workers at the plant – which is a manufacturer and exporter of canned sardines and mackerel – that came into contact with the employee were sent home. As of the Thai Union release, none of them had reported any symptoms of COVID-19.
“They are self-isolating at home and will receive full testing as a priority,” Thai Union stated. “Local health authorities have been provided with a full list of these people and will contact them to arrange testing and advise on next steps.”
The plant itself has remained opened, and is “working closely with all local health and government authorities on measures to ensure no further spread of COVID-19 among the ESIP workforce.”
Those measures are similar to those undertaken by many plants – disinfection of areas used by the worker, full use of PPE, temperature checks, and increased cleaning regimes.
The positive case in Portugal is not Thai Union’s first: A cannery in Ghana was closed after a worker tested positive for COVID-19. That cannery was later reopened after testing and re-testing of all employees to ensure no further infections.
