THERE IS NOW a total of 10 clusters of Covid-19 at meat processing factories across the country, the Department of Health has confirmed. 

The Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed last week said six clusters were identified in processing plants but this has since grown to 10 clusters. 

A cluster is identified by two or more cases of the virus. 

In an update from Deputy Chief Medical Officer Ronan Glynn this evening, he said national outbreak teams are responding to the increase.

“As of yesterday, there have been 10 clusters across 10 different facilities with a total of 566 cases,” he said. 

“The HSE convened a national outbreak control team so there’s an outbreak control team for each of those 10 clusters.

“It convened an outbreak control team yesterday and they’ll be taking a range of actions to mitigate the onward spread of that including production guidance for meat processing facilities around the country.”

Rosderra Irish Meats Group previously confirmed that some of its workers had tested positive for the virus. 

Dawn Meats also closed a facility in Kilbeggan, Westmeath after four cases of Covid-19 were confirmed among staff. 

“When we became aware of 4 confirmed cases of Covid-19 amongst workers in Kilbeggan we decided to defer production in the plant yesterday,” a spokesperson for Dawn Meats said. 

“The cases reflect less than 2% of staff at the plant, however the decision was taken out an abundance of caution whilst we review the situation.”