Via CBC News: Cargill meat-processing plant south of Montreal says 64 workers infected with COVID-19.
A meat-processing plant in Chambly, Que., will shut down "for the health and safety of employees" after an outbreak of COVID-19.
Its owner, Cargill, says 64 employees have the disease, which amounts to about 13 per cent of workers at the facility about 35 kilometres south of Montreal.
The union representing the plant workers, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), says 171 employees are already at home either because they are sick or have come into contact with someone showing symptoms.
Union spokesperson Roxanne Larouche says operations are winding down and all work will cease Wednesday.
She said protective measures such as the installation of plexiglass, staggered lunch breaks and the use of masks and visors were in place at the plant.
"Despite all these protective measures, zero risk does not exist," she said.
The company says it will provide compensation for up to 36 hours of work while the factory remains idle.
Another Cargill facility, in High River, Alta., shut down last month after hundreds of infections were linked to the plant, including one former worker who died from the disease.
