Household contacts of chicken factory outbreak advised to self-isolate

Household contacts of factory workers from the 2 Sisters food processing plant in Coupar Angus are now being asked to self-isolate until 31 August.

The plant closed on Monday after four workers tested positive. All workers were asked to self-isolate for two weeks and get tested.

The First Minister revealed on Thursday that the number of cases connected to the chicken factory had risen to 43.

Following a meeting later that day, the requirement to self-isolate has now been expanded to include all household contacts, including children, of anyone who has worked at the 2 Sisters plant in the last two weeks.

The households contacts should only seek testing if they have symptoms, but the advice to factory workers is to self-isolate until 31 August even if they have had a negative test.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “This is a significant but necessary step to reduce the risk of onward transmission from this cluster, while testing and contact tracing continues.

“The public have an important role to play in helping us contain this outbreak, which is different to the other outbreaks we have seen so far as it is focused around a food processing plant and its workforce.

“We are asking all people in the Tayside area to stay extra vigilant in following the FACTS guidance, in particular those people in their 70s or older, and those who were shielding or in high-risk groups.”

She added that the situation will be closely monitored to see if any further restrictions will be necessary.