669 of them- almost 60% – are from nursing homes and food processors
-May 12,2020-
Almost 60% of all COVID-19 cases in Tulare County are associated with a just a few infection sources at clustered groups that include local 5 nursing homes and 2 food major processing plants.
The County announced the latest number Monday May 11 that total virus-related cases rose to 1159.The total has increased from 757 on May 3.
According to numbers supplied by the public heath department, 669 of the 1159 cases are associated with either local nursing homes or food processors and the number of new victims at these places has been steadily climbing.
The largest source for COVID cases has been Redwood Springs nursing home in Visalia that now has 208 victims – 119 residents 69 employees and 20 contacts.
The second largest hot spot is Ruiz Foods in Tulare and Dinuba where victims numbered 130 cases as of May 7 and now have grown to 174 as of a few days later.
The other food company- Hanford’s Central Valley Meat had 41 Tulare County residents listed by Tulare County’s public health department as of May 7 and now has 48 workers who reside here.
Both nursing homes and food processors have in common the fact that people remain in close proximity all day. Nursing homes victims are particularly vulnerable due their health and age.Food company workers may also live in group quarters along with group transportation and working side by side for many hours.
Just how many workers at Central Valley Meat are affected is not known because unlike Tulare County, Kings County will not release information by company.
But Kings County Supervisor Doug Verboon told the Fresno Bee a few days ago that the meat packing plant now has 138 cases and accounts for nearly two-thirds of the coronavirus cases in Kings County which had a total of 211 reported cases as of that time.
Now – four days later – Kings County is up to 319 residents adding 20 to 30 cases a day.
Central Valley Meat employs around 750. A TV news report says 200 workers are no longer coming to work – fearing the danger.