{Madison, NE} Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health Department (ELVPHD) continues to investigate a COVID-19 outbreak at Tyson in Madison, NE. At this time, there are a total of 29 confirmed cases stemming from employees of that Tyson plant. In addition, there are an additional 56 COVID-19 tests pending in the health district, and it is unknown at this time whether any of those remaining 56 pending tests are those of Tyson employees.
ELVPHD continues to lead the investigation of these cases in partnership Tyson. Internal plant containment and safe, continued operations continue to be the goal of both ELVPHD and Tyson.
ELVPHD sent quarantine directives to Tyson to be used for all symptomatic workers and symptomatic contacts of workers per Nebraska’s Directed Health Measures. This includes a mandatory minimum twoweek quarantine for anyone inside or outside of the Tyson plant experiencing a symptom or a group of symptoms consistent with COVID-19—fever, cough, or sore throat). Contained within in this letter was the reiteration that anyone calling in sick, or anyone being dismissed from work due to personal illness for even one day must subsequently be excused from duty for a minimum of fourteen days per the aforementioned Directed Health Measures.
The plant has implemented a ‘no outside visitor’ policy due to the expanding outbreak inside the plant. As a result, it was mutually decided that the scheduled site visit be reduced to include only one visitor from Nebraska Medicine. Plans are currently underway to continue testing of employees in the days ahead.
As this outbreak investigation continues, additional testing results, case numbers related to Tyson, and any further updates will be provided to the public by way of a media release.
