Already more than 1500 Tönnies employees infected

The scandal of the mass infection with the Coronavirus in the meat factory Tönnies in Rheda-Wiedenbrück (North Rhine-Westphalia) is expanding. The number of Infected, which are directly in the factory, is already risen to 1553. The head of the crisis staff, said on Monday evening during a press conference in Gütersloh. A total of 6.650 samples had been taken.

The Series of tests on the premises of the company had been completed on Saturday, have informed the authorities of the circle Gütersloh on Sunday.

In the case of 4568 persons, the Virus could not be detected. “The tests showed that the number of positive findings outside of the Decomposition are significantly lower than in this part of the operation,” it said further.

In the four hospitals in the County currently 21 Covid-19-patients to be hospitalized. Six people are in intensive care, two of them need to be ventilated. Five of the six are Employed according to the circle of Tönnies -.

The circle announced that in may carried out series of Checks much more testing had been made. “This is because the number of employees has decreased. A number of employees is returned, obviously in the home, among other things, people that are negative have been tested, and wanted to avoid the looming quarantine here.”

Around half of all employees in the group working on sub-contractors for Tönnies. In total, people from 87 Nations for Tönnies active. By far the largest groups came from Romania and Poland. Around a third of employees with a foreign nationality live with their families in Germany.

According to the district spokesperson, the head of the crisis unit, Thomas Kuhlbusch has taken, is already in contact with the embassies of the countries of origin and about the Leaving informed.

• The butcher and the Virus: A Portrait of Clemens Tönnies read here.