CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Nueces County Judge Barbara Canales announced that all the tests have been completed on employees at STX Beef where an outbreak of COVID-19 has been reported. The meat processing plant is located on Leopard near Rand Morgan.
There are now 63 confirmed cases associated with the plant, according to health officials.
Those 63 positive test results announced Wednesday following several days of testing at STX Beef. 747 people tested in all with the help of the Texas National Guard.
"That includes not only employees, but also contract workers and vendors that were tested," Nueces County Health Director Annette Rodriguez said.
Last week, a wife of one of the workers at the meat processing plant made an emotional plea on Facebook after learning her husband tested positive for the virus.
She says it started two weeks ago when her husband experienced symptoms similar to a stomach virus.
He went to work - got more sick - was tested and learned nine days ago he was COVID-19 positive.
Those who have tested positive are being asked to self-isolate and will not be allowed to enter the facility until they are cleared to do so. The large employer is considered to be an essential business and food supplier under the President's Defense Production Act.
"I want everyone to know, there is no evidence of food or food packaging being associated with the transmission of COVID-19," Rodriguez said.
"The FDA advises we will adapt every day safe food handling and hygiene practices to avoid food born illnesses."
Testing is also now being extended to family members of the same households of all employees at the plant.
"I know there are many of you who might be anxious or worried, what I want to tell you is the process we have is a good process," Nueces County Judge Barbara Canales said.
"[We're] able to get your appointment easy, able to go through our drive-thru testing, and very quickly get your results and we will give you further instructions on what to do."
Family members of STX Beef employees can call 361-414-6700 to make an appointment. You do not need to show symptoms to be tested.
May 13
Workers at STX Beef have accounted for the bulk of the increase in COVID-19 cases in Nueces County.
It started last week when an employee's wife made an emotional plea to social media hoping to spread awareness after learning her husband tested positive for COVID-19.
In a video she shared on Facebook, Rebecca Leal Duenes says her husband began to feel sick with symptoms similar to a stomach virus.
"God, I wouldn't wish this on anybody, I'm telling you it's ugly," Rebecca Leal Duenes said.
"I would wanna know if I was working somewhere where someone tested positive. And he didn't get it from home, he had to have gotten it from work."
Her husband went to work, got more sick, and learned last week he was positive.
Flash forward to now, city-county health leaders say there are at least 57 people total from STX Beef who have tested positive for the virus.
Officials say all test results are back and all but 40 employees at the facility have been tested.
The county would also like to remind the public that family members of STX Beef employees are eligible for free testing. Call 361-826-7200 to make an appointment.
May 12
Word from officials with the city-county public health district now reporting there has been an steep increase in positive COVID-19 cases at STX Beef. In total, 31 employees have tested positive from that plant.
Nueces County Judge Barbara Canales read a release from STX Beef, saying they have tested over 600 employees so far.
Those who test positive will be asked to self isolate for 10 to 14 days and will not be allowed into the facility until they are cleared.
The city-county health district is extending voluntary testing for members of the same household of STX Beef employees. The test will happen on Thursday.
Free testing all those living in the immediate household is free and you do not need to show any COVID symptoms. Call 361-414-6700.
Last Week
The Texas National Guard was busy this past weekend testing 340 employees at the facility. Health officials were hoping that today another 200 employees will have been tested. They say it could take five to seven days to get those results back.
"We just want to see if there's a bigger problem that we don't know about because we know about the 10 we have, but is there more than the 10 and if there is then we need to know that so we can figure out what needs to happen and how do we help them," Nueces County Health Director Annette Rodriguez said.
"The goal is to test anybody that actually works in the facility so if you're somebody who works offsite then you wouldn't need to be tested but if you're there working at the facility it's to test them all."
Rodriguez adds that it could take five to seven days to get those results back.
May 8, a total of nine employees have tested positive for COVID-19 at the processing plant.
May , Nueces County Health Director said at least three have been hospitalized.
A state rapid response team has been contacted to see if the 700 to 800 employees working at the facility need to be tested.
Nueces County Health Director Annette Rodriguez says the company is fully cooperating in the effort to stop the spread of COVID-19 at the company.
Here's what we know about the other employees who tested positive.
At Wednesday's coronavirus briefing at Corpus Christi City Hall, officials announced that a handful of employees at STX Beef (previously Sam Kane's) processing facility have tested positive for the virus.
Nueces County Health Director Annette Rodriguez stated that 3-4 people had positive results.
Rodriguez says they have activated a rapid response team to quickly isolate those who are affected and track down people the patients have come in contact with. Rodriguez says that some asymptomatic employees could still work as long as they are wearing personal protective equipment.
"Normally when you have a positive, all of those people that come in contact with them, we take them out of the mix for 14 days to self isolate or quarantine that's not the case when you have an essential infrastructure like this," Rodriguez said.
"They can actually work as long as they are asymptomatic and as long as they are wearing their protective gear so they have masks and goggles and face shields as well."
Rodriguez says the employees who are sick will not be allowed to return to work unless they have been in quarantine for at least 10 days. They must also not have had a fever for three consecutive days without the use of any type of fever reducing medication.
For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.
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