Health officials confirm 359 asymptomatic coronavirus cases at St. Joseph food plant
Sixty-four additional workers at a Saint Joseph food plant tested positive for the new coronavirus despite showing no symptoms, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced Saturday.
At least 359 of 2,300 Triumph Foods employees tested positive with no symptoms of the rapidly spreading virus, up from 295 Friday.
The new cases came after increased testing of asymptomatic employees at the food plant started on Monday. Before that testing began, 46 employees had been confirmed to have the virus and were symptomatic, according to state health officials.
Results of that testing is expected to become available on a rolling basis throughout the weekend. Department of Health and Senior Services staff and local health officials are conducting investigations and contact tracing for the cases.
In a statement to The Star Friday, Triumph Foods said the results were not unexpected considering the contagious nature of the virus.
“The test results are a snapshot in time and provide our organization and each individual employee with information to protect employees, families and the community,” the statement said.
Employees who test positive, the statement said, will receive full pay and benefits while they self-isolate at home. Those with negative and pending results can continue to report to work if they follow safety guidelines, the statement said.
As of Friday, Missouri had confirmed 7,835 cases of COVID-19. Of those cases, 141 had been found in Buchanan County where the food plant is located. The cases among employees at the plant, however, will be counted toward whatever county the employee lives in.
The Star’s Cortlynn Stark contributed to this report.
