Coronavirus outbreak at Maruchan ramen noodle factory in Virginia sickens at least 7 workers
Stacked packages of dried ramen creamy chicken noodles (Getty Images)
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. - An outbreak of the novel coronavirus at a Maruchan ramen noodle factory in Virginia has sickened several workers, according to local reports.
At least seven workers at the facility in Chesterfield County have tested positive for COVID-19 and are now in quarantine at home, WRIC-TV in Richmond reported. A spokesperson for Maruchan Virginia Inc., which is a subsidiary of Toyo Suisan Kaisha Ltd in Tokyo, told the news station that the factory remains open despite the positive cases.
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“Following the discovery of the infections, we conducted a deep cleaning based on [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines, and we will continue to enforce safety and sanitization precautions above and beyond what has been outlined by the CDC and the health department, and, as of now the plant is in operation,” a spokesperson for Maruchan told WRIC-TV.
“Maruchan will continue to work closely with all involved parties, including the CDC and other agencies to ensure the safety and health of our associates and community, as well as the safety of our products,” the company added.
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The cases have since been reported to the Chesterfield County Health Department, according to WRIC-TV. A spokesperson for the county health department did not immediately return Fox News’ request for comment on Wednesday.
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The factory, which opened in the area in 1989, had some 420 employees as of August 2018.
As of Wednesday morning, Virginia has confirmed more than 25,000 cases of the virus and some 890 deaths, according to estimates.