Cargill beef facility in Guelph reopens Tuesday following COVID-19 outbreak

The Cargill meat processing plant in Guelph reopened Tuesday after it was shuttered following a significant COVID-19 outbreak earlier this month, said the company.

The location at 165 Dunlop Dr.hasbeen idle since Dec. 17.

"This decision comes after careful deliberations among Cargill leadership and discussions with the Union and local health authorities," said spokesperson Daniel Sullivan in an email to CBC K-W.

"Employees should not come to work with COVID-19 symptoms or if they have had contact with someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days. We remain focused on keeping people healthy and delivering safe food to people across Canada."

The union representing workers, United Food and Commercial Workers Locals 175 and 633,said the plant re-opened with reducedstaff Tuesday and will ramp up production on Wednesday, when it hopes to process 100 cattle per hour.

The union said it hopes to reach full production by next Wednesday, Jan. 6.

Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health said as of Dec. 24, there were134 positive cases linked to the facility.

The health unit says 67 of the cases are considered active, while 67 had beencleared.

As of Dec. 22, at least 100 employees remained in isolation.