Agricultural ties to COVID-19 cases in Missouri counties
MEXICO, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Audrain County Health Department reported 11 new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday. Of those cases, nine were linked to a hog business in the area, Brenneman Pork.
The health department reported four new cases of the virus Monday. Those cases were also traced to Brenneman Pork.
A spokeswoman from Brenneman Pork the company is working on a press release about the cases.
In Buchanan County, more than 400 employees at the pork processing plant Triumph Foods tested positive for the virus.
A Conagra plant in Marhsall temporarily suspended operations in April after about 20 employees tested positive.
Dr. Randall Williams with the Department of Health and Senior Services said many cases in the state have been linked to food processing plants, specifically.
“When you look at that they tend to be very closely affiliated with our processors. If you look at Buchanan, and Moniteau, and Saline County," he said.
Williams said state leaders want to increase testing and do repeat testing to prevent jumps in the number of cases.
“Just very quickly try to identify cases there before they multiply into the 13 cases you’re seeing at this hog farm and obviously the 400 plus cases you saw up at triumph in Buchanan," he said.
Gov. Mike Parson warned residents that more rural communities are not immune to outbreaks of the virus.
"You pretty well practice social distancing every day to a certain degree in those areas, but as soon as you start bunching people up in bunches you can have the same problem that anywhere else can have," Parson said.
