69 Fruit Plant Employees, 15 Close Contacts Test Positive

VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) — The number of employees at a Vancouver, Washington, fruit processing facility who have tested positive for COVID-19 is now up to 69. Clark County Public Health said Tuesday that another 15 people identified as close contacts of those cases have also tested positive.

KGW reported that Firestone Pacific Foods said 87 employees have tested negative for the virus, and there are still a few of its employees who need to be tested. The company said there are no known hospitalizations involving its workers.

The outbreak was discovered May 17 when an employee tested positive for the coronavirus. After learning of the positive test, the company shut down its production facility, but the number of workers known to be infected with COVID-19 has continued to grow.

Clark County Public Health says a total of 165 employees and 83 close contacts have been tested. Additional testing of employees and close contacts is expected.

“By being proactive, we have hopefully kept this outbreak contained to Firestone employees and close contacts, and prevented the outbreak from spreading into the community,” Dr. Alan Melnick, Clark County health officer and Public Health director, said in a statement.

At this time, there is no evidence the outbreak has spread beyond Firestone employees and their close contacts, county officials said.