No further COVID-19 cases at Golden Farms chicken plant in Breakwater after 67 tests completed

Staff at a Breakwater chicken plant have been told the latest results from a COVID-19 testing blitz that was ordered after one of their colleagues was found to have the virus.

Almost 70 workers at Breakwater’s Golden Farms chicken plant have reportedly returned negative coronavirus tests since one of their colleagues tested positive last week.

But the immediate operating plans for the business were in limbo late Sunday, with staff waiting on the plant’s owner — Turosi P/L — to confirm if it would open Monday.

Turosi was planning to contact its employees after a Sunday night meeting with the Department of Health and Human Services.

“It is our hope we would be operating a day shift as a minimum, however we will be contacting everyone after this meetings to whether the Geelong site will be operating tomorrow or not,” staff were informed.

Exterior photos of Golden Farms factory site in Leather Street, Breakwater. Picture: Peter Ristevski

Earlier, workers at the chicken processing plant were told 67 COVID-19 tests had been completed among staff, all tests returned negative.

The testing blitz happened after a male worker tested positive for the virus on Thursday.

The Geelong Advertiser posed a string of questions to Turosi and the DHHS about the measures in place at the Breakwater site.

Turosi chief executive officer Phil Hand issued a tight-lipped response.

“Turosi continues to work closely with the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services and Barwon Health. A deep clean of all areas at the plant was undertaken on Thursday night. In addition we are working closely with DHHS and Barwon Health contact tracing teams,” Mr Hand said.

Originally published as No further COVID-19 cases at Golden Farms chicken plant in Breakwater after 67 tests completed