Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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745. To ask the Minister for Health the details of the investigation by the HSPC and HSE of a beef plant in Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan after reports of a possible outbreak at the plant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9592/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As per the Health Protection Surveillance Centre report of 2 June 2020, a total of 20 COVID-19 outbreaks in meat processing plants are currently under investigation in HSE East, Midlands, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, South and West. One of those outbreaks includes the plant referred to by the Deputy in Ballyjamesduff.

A National Outbreak Control Team is continuing to coordinate the investigations across all meat processing plants which have been affected by COVID-19. The normal approach is for such an investigation to remain active until at least two incubation periods since the last reported case of an infection have passed. In respect of COVID-19, where the incubation period is currently understood to be a maximum of 14 days, that would imply a period of 28 days before the conclusion of an investigation. A further updated report from the HSE on these matters is currently awaited.