Covid-19: Kilkeel seafood factory closes due to outbreak

A seafood processing factory in County Down has temporarily closed due to an outbreak of coronavirus.

Kilkeel Seafoods has confirmed 42 positive tests among staff.

The firm, which prepares scampi tail at the edge of Kilkeel harbour, employs 250 people.

The factory closed last Thursday and results of the workforce-wide Covid-19 tests were confirmed between Sunday and Tuesday, a company spokeswoman said.

The factory will reopen on 19 July.

It was due to be closed next week for a holiday week.

Forty-four new "clusters" of Covid-19 were identified in Northern Ireland from 21 June to 27 June, according to data from the Public Health Agency (PHA).

A cluster is defined as two or more laboratory-confirmed cases among individuals associated with a key setting, including workplaces, retail, hospitality or leisure premises.

Three testing centres were opened in Kilkeel in early June after what officials described as a "notable increase" in the number of coronavirus cases in the town.

At about that time, hundreds of houses were visited over potential cases of the variant and residents were invited to take a voluntary Covid-19 test.

Testing centres opened in Kilkeel on Friday after a rise in the number of coronavirus cases

It was the first time that type of enhanced testing was carried out to detect a new variant in Northern Ireland.

A mobile testing unit remains in place at Kilkeel Leisure Centre at the Mourne Esplanade.

Kilkeel Seafoods said its staff testing had been requested as a preventative safety measure after a small number of positive cases were reported among staff last week.

The spokeswoman said the company had been working under strict Covid-19 guidelines, employing stringent use of social distancing and protective equipment.

• Testing centres open amid 'rise in Kilkeel cases'

• 'No more than five' Delta variant cases in Kilkeel

The firm said a small number of staff who have tested negative would go into the premises during the shutdown to allow the prawn fishing fleet to continue to land directly to the firm.

The PHA said it would not comment on individual cases of Covid-19 but said identified clusters would be reported and appropriate infection control action carried out.

"If you have not yet been vaccinated against Covid-19, please make arrangements now to get it - don't delay," a spokesperson said.

"Everyone over 18 is eligible and you don't need to be invited - book a slot or turn up to one of the drop-in vaccination clinics."