Following reports of seven cases in the region last week, Millers of Speyside opted to temporarily close its production site for 14 days due to an outbreak of COVID-19 in the local area.
NHS Highland has confirmed the total number of confirmed cases within the Grantown community has increased by two to 33, 30 of which are linked with the abattoir.
Millers of Speyside is the latest food supplier to be hit by COVID-19 cases.
2 Sisters recently reopened its Coupar Angus factory on after it was temporarily closed due to an outbreak of coronavirus.
In June, 2 Sisters suspended production at its chicken plant in Llangeli, Wales following an outbreak there.
And Greencore suspended processing at its Northampton site following almost 300 confirmed cases.
“The health and wellbeing of our staff here at Millers of Speyside, who have worked tirelessly through the pandemic to ensure continued food production, is of the utmost importance,” Sandy Milne, managing director at Millers of Speyside, said.
Fourteen day closure
“To prevent further spread of the virus among both our employees and the local community, we have opted to close our facility for 14 days.”
Alan Clarke, chief executive at Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), added: “Since the start of COVID-19, QMS has worked hard with industry partners to ensure the Scottish red meat supply chain has continued to operate when new measures, such as social distancing in processors, were introduced.”
“Millers of Speyside, like other Scottish food businesses, has whole-heartedly embraced these measures and has followed all guidelines, to isolate the spread of infection, protecting the health and wellbeing of their workforce and the local community.”
Contact tracing
NHS Highland’s Health Protection Team is continuing contact tracing with all those identified as close contacts being advised to self-isolate.
Dr Tim Allison, director of Public Health, said: “Work continues in following up contacts and appropriate advice is being given to those we have identified.
“The investigation so far is showing that the majority of these confirmed cases are linked with Millers of Speyside abattoir. While it is good news that there is no significant community transmission it is important that we do not become complacent and continue to follow the national guidance to keep you and others safe.
“This includes physical distancing, wearing a face-covering when in enclosed spaces, cleaning your hands and surfaces regularly and immediately self-isolating if you develop symptoms.”
