GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) — There are now 975 cases of the COVID-19 Coronavirus in Brown County and the Oneida Nation as aggressive testing continues following the discovery of a link between hundreds of local cases and area meatpacking plants.
That 55 case jump is the smallest in over a week.
Testing continues on workers at area meatpacking plants including American Food Group, Salm Partners, and the now-closed JBS Packerland facility.
Health Department Spokesperson Claire Paprocki says it’s still not entirely clear how Tuesday’s executive order signed by President Donald Trump ordering meat plants to stay open as part of the national supply chain will impact the area.
“In light of the executive order,” Paprocki said, “The county will continue to work with our partners to continue that meat and polutry proiducers operate consistently with the guidance provided by the CDC and OSHA.”
Salm Partners reported Wednesday in a press release that 346 tests were completed in recent days on workers who showed no symptoms of the virus, and of those, 17 tests, or 5%, came back positive. The company notes that there is no confirmed evidence that any of the employees were infected in the workplace.
The good news? There have been 140 cases that have recovered and are out of isolation in the county.
There have been three deaths in the county linked to the virus. There are 37 people who currently in the hospital with the disease. Seven of the cases are in the Oneida Nation.
The third death, reported Tuesday, was that of a 67-year-old man in the 54304 zip code.
