At least 116 workers at the Smithfield Foods-owned meat processing facility have tested positive for the virus, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. That makes it the largest reported local coronavirus outbreak to date in a non-residential setting, which includes retail stores and educational settings.
The number of confirmed cases at this facility dwarfs other outbreaks in similar settings, including at the California Farms Meat Company, also in Vernon, which has seen at least 24 cases.
On its website, Smithfield says its COVID-19 response is focused on employee health. A request for comment from management at the plant has been unsuccessful.
Other meatpacking facilities across the country have also had outbreaks of cases, including another Smithfield-owned plan in South Dakota. The pork processing plant was closed after hundreds of employees tested positive for the coronavirus.