Lerøy keeps plant closed after Covid-19 cases increase
Norwegian salmon and trout farmer Lerøy has delayed the post-Easter holiday re-start of work at a processing facility after workers were linked to the spread of coronavirus.
Two workers at the Lerøy Fossen trout processing plant in Osterøy tested positive last week. They were the first two cases on the island, a few miles north of Bergen.
Tests on contacts of the two have revealed that a further 18 people in Osterøy have been infected with coronavirus, news site BA reports.
All the new cases are the result of infection from the first two cases at Lerøy Fossen, Osterøy mayor Lars Fjeldstad told BA yesterday.
He didn’t wish to say how many of the 20 are employed by Lerøy Fossen.
Further safety precautions
On Facebook, Lerøy Seafood Group community contact Krister Hoaas wrote: “We have decided to postpone the start of production at Lerøy Fossen. We are cooperating well and have ongoing dialogue with the municipality of Osterøy and the infection control authorities.
“As a result of Covid-19 infection among employees, we will in the days ahead take further steps to further increase safety and limit the risk of infection. The safety of our employees always comes first.”
According to BA, the decision to postpone production was taken in collaboration between Lerøy and Osterøy municipality. All the staff, about 150 people, have been asked to stay home, the municipality told the media outlet.
