Fifty-five people employed at a meat-packing plant near the German city of Cologne have tested positive for the coronavirus.
The local authority announced this on Thursday while confirming the latest outbreak among foreign workers in Germany’s meat industry.
One of the female employees was found to have COVID-19 on Dec. 28, 2020 at the site in Frechen, the Rhein-Erft-Kreis authority said.
Fellow residents in the woman’s accommodation were then tested.
The 55 infected workers, most of whom are foreign nationals, had not travelled to high-risk regions prior to infection, according to the officials.
The business is said to adhere strictly to anti-coronavirus rules.
Germany’s meat industry came under immense scrutiny last year after a number of outbreaks in abattoirs, meat-packing plants and workers’ dorms led to criticism of its labour standards.
All employees working in the production department of the Frechen plant have been ordered to undergo quarantine by the local health authority.
dpa/NAN
