{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 nine confirmed cases stemming from employees of that Tyson plant. In addition, there are an additional 47 COVID-19 tests pending in the health district, and it is unknown at this time whether any of those 47 pending tests are those of any Tyson employees or direct household contacts of Tyson employees.
At this time, ELVPHD is leading the investigation of these cases as the public health authority and has extended an invitation to Tyson to participate in this process for the purposes of internal plant containment and safe, continued operations. ELVPHD will continue to apply the quarantine directives for symptomatic contacts of workers under Nebraska’s Directed Health Measures, as well as the contact tracing of the asymptomatic, exposed contacts inside and outside of work.
As of Monday afternoon, Tyson plant management has cooperated in the containment process. Next steps outside of the investigation of confirmed cases include additional testing of symptomatic employees, an in-person site visit at the plant, and dissemination of materials to all employees regarding measures to minimize the spread and exposure in the community outside of work.
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.