Tag Archives: Lincoln County Public Health
Health department says OHA denied request to test Newport workers before outbreak occurred
Lincoln County Public Health says the Oregon Health Authority denied a request to test workers at a Newport fish processing plant prior to a COVID-19 outbreak at the facility the first week of June, which infected 124 workers and at least eight of their close contacts. According to The Astorian, “Outbreaks at Bornstein Seafoods in Astoria and Pacific Seafood in Warrenton prompted Michael McNickle, the county’s public health director, to call for mandatory, continuous testing paid for by businesses.” The authority told McNickle in an email that although there was internal discussion on the matter, they were “not at this time recommending mandatory, continuous testing at food processing facilities.” >click to read< 09:14
UPDATED: 124 cases reported – Pacific Seafood Coronavirus outbreak due to out-of-state workers, say former employees
James Nelson, a 10-year veteran at Pacific Seafood, said he had to quit his job May 8, “due to the COVID-19 virus,” and said he was forced to resign after expressing concern over the company bringing in “100+ migrant workers” from California to process seafood in Newport. Nelson said he would not put his family’s safety in jeopardy because implanting workers from a more contaminated area was too dangerous. He brought his concerns to managerial staff and said some had their own concerns, but they told him the higher-ups made the decisions. >click to read< 09:39
124 coronavirus cases reported at Pacific Seafood facilities in Newport – Pacific Seafood on Sunday disclosed that 124 of its employees and local contractors have tested positive for coronavirus in what is the second largest workplace outbreak of the virus in the state to date. >click to read< 10:43
Pilot Project: Dozens of commercial fishermen tested for Coronavirus ahead of Hake season
Commercial fishing is big business in Oregon and on May 15, dozens of trawlers will leave Newport for fishing grounds off the coast. The west coast Hake season is about to start. There’s an effort to make sure crew members on trawlers are Covid-19 free. The Midwater Trawlers Cooperative represents 29 vessels. The cooperative, along with Lincoln County Public Health, the Oregon Health Authority and Samaritan Hospital in Lincoln City put together a pilot program to test crew members. >click to read< 08:01
