Additional COVID-19 results in from asymptomatic testing from Buchanan County food plant

JEFFERSON CITY, MO – As announced yesterday, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) partnered with the City of St. Joseph Health Department, Northwest Health Services and Mosaic Life Care to offer COVID-19 testing to all employees and contract staff at Triumph Foods in St. Joseph. The latest results show 167 new cases among Triumph Foods staff who were not showing symptoms. These cases are among the 916 employees who had samples collected Tuesday.

Prior to this week, Triumph Foods had a total of 46 employees test positive for the virus that causes COVID-19. On Monday, comprehensive testing of asymptomatic employees began. Of 707 employees tested, 92 received positive results. A total of 305 employees currently have laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. 

Samples were collected for testing at the processing facility from an additional 709 employees on Wednesday and Thursday, bringing the total tested to more than 2,300. Any employees who are still seeking testing can do so next week through the mobile testing site operated by Northwest Health Services.

DHSS has staff on site in St. Joseph today assisting with case investigations and contact tracing. Staff from surrounding local public health agencies are assisting as well. 

“We continue to work closely with our partners to monitor this situation,” said Dr. Randall Williams, director of DHSS. “Many thanks to the employees for the important work that they do and for their willingness to be tested and to follow our guidance which will prevent further spread of this virus.”

Cases are counted by county of the patient’s residence, not by location of the employer or where the test was conducted. Not all cases among Triumph Foods employees will be counted in Buchanan County’s total case count as they are not all county residents.

Visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus or the DHSS website at www.health.mo.gov/coronavirus for more information or to ask questions using the state site’s COVID-19 interactive chatbot. A statewide COVID-19 hotline is also available at 877-435-8411.