Covid: Cranswick Country Foods disruption fear after outbreak

Cranswick Country Foods is based on Brandon Road on the outskirts of Watton

Disruption is expected at a meat processing factory after more than 140 staff tested positive for coronavirus.

Norfolk County Council said the positive test rate at Cranswick Country Foods in Watton, which produces pork products, was a "cause for concern".

As of Monday, 144 out of 333 staff tested positive for Covid-19 and all 1,000 plant staff are to be tested.

A spokesman for the firm said they hoped any disruption would be in the short term only.

All those who have tested positive so far were asymptomatic and were self-isolating, the firm said.

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A spokesman for Cranswick said: "We are continuing to work co-operatively with Public Health England, the Health and Safety Executive, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and Norfolk County Council, but envisage there will be disruption to the full operation of the plant in the short term."

A council spokesman said the decision over whether to close the factory is not one for the local public health team but they "are liaising with the Joint Biosecurity Council and keeping them updated on the situation".

Conservative leader of Breckland Council, Sam Chapman-Allen, said: "I absolutely sympathise that people will have some concerns within Watton and the wider community, but it's really important that we continue to follow those basics of hands, face and space."

The factory has 1,000 staff

Cranswick also has poultry processing sites at Kenninghall in Norfolk and Yaxley in Suffolk.

It is one of several meat processing plants that have experienced an outbreak of coronavirus among staff.

Turkey producer Bernard Matthews in Holton, Suffolk, has been affected since last month, and a small number of workers at its site in Great Witchingham, Norfolk, tested positive.

Banham Poultry in Norfolk closed for two weeks in August and September when more than 120 staff had the virus.

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