It has been confirmed that 566 cases of Covid-19 have been recorded among 10 clusters at meat processing facilities.

In the daily Department of Health Covid-19 briefing on Friday, May 8, Dr. Ronan Glynn, the deputy chief medical officer, confirmed that among all the work place clusters across all sectors of the economy, the “main one” is in meat processors.

Dr. Glynn explained that an outbreak control team is in place for each of these clusters, and that, furthermore, the HSE has convened a national outbreak control team, which will be “taking a range of actions to mitigate and prevent onward spread of that”.

The extent of the cluster issue in meat plants came to light in recent days and weeks, initially through Dáil statement by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin.

Last week, Dawn Meats decided to temporarily close one of its meat plants following four confirmed cases of Covid-19.

The processor’s Kilbeggan facility in Co. Westmeath was the affected plant.

Subsequent to that, Rosderra Meats confirmed that a number of employees at its Roscrea, Co. Tipperary plant had tested positive for the virus.

The processor stated that it would continue with a “scaled-down process” in the short-term while its affected staff members are self-isolating.