City, state: Sioux Falls has ‘multiple’ hot spots, including over 80 cases at Smithfield
April 8, 2020
The city of Sioux Falls is working closely with the state to mitigate “hot spots” of COVID-19 cases including close communication with Smithfield, where there have been multiple cases reported, Mayor Paul TenHaken said.
“We are working with one employer specifically that is working around the clock to make sure their employees have the right mitigation tactics and the right hygiene, personal hygiene, sanitary hygiene practices in place to curb the spread there,” he said.
When asked by reporters, TenHaken confirmed the state and city are working closely with Smithfield. The company’s CEO, Ken Sullivan, has visited the plant to make sure it is taking necessary mitigation measures, TenHaken said.
At the governor’s daily news briefing, the secretary of the Department of Health said there are more than 80 employees at Smithfield that have tested positive for COVID-19. The meat-processing plant employs more than 3,600 people in Sioux Falls.
Other employers in Sioux Falls also have been dealing with outbreaks, the mayor said.
The city is doing daily calls with Smithfield, he added.
“I would expect we’ll continue to see, as we go through the COVID pandemic here in our city we’ll continue to see more and more employers that are going to see affected cases in their businesses,” he said. “I talked to another CEO of a production company today that’s dealing with cases.”
Smithfield first reported a case of COVID-19 in Sioux Falls two weeks ago. The company subsequently said it would not be confirming individual cases at its plants, citing workers’ privacy.
“We have instituted a series of stringent and detailed processes and protocols that follow the strict guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to effectively manage any potential COVID-19 cases in our operations,” it said in a statement.
“At all of our locations, we have enhanced the cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched objects and surfaces and are continuing to stress the importance of personal hygiene. We routinely employ personal protective equipment throughout our facilities, which covers employees’ heads, faces, hands and bodies. All Smithfield facilities and farms operate under strict biosecurity, which currently restricts all nonessential visitors. All these actions complement the extensive safety measures in place at all our locations across the country. We continue to actively monitor CDC guidance, as well as that of state and local health authorities, and are immediately taking all necessary actions to protect our employees.”
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated since it was originally published to clarify TenHaken was asked about Smithfield and did not name the company himself.
