Coronavirus cases confirmed at Dinuba fruit-packing plant, Lemoore cheese-making factory

Two more central San Joaquin Valley food-processing facilities have reported positive cases of the coronavirus.

AC Foods confirmed that two employees at the Legacy Packing and Shipping plant in Dinuba tested positive for COVID-19. In a statement on Tuesday, the company said neither employee is currently working at the facility and will not return until released to do by by a qualified physician.

“The health and safety of our employees is our top priority,” said Darren Filkins, CEO of AC Operations, which oversees the facility.

“We continue to implement additional measures to ensure the well-being of everyone throughout all of our facilities. We are proud of our employees and their contributions to the global food supply.”

The company said that it is following all CDC guidelines and has implemented protective measures including temperature checks for all all employees at Legacy Packing and Shipping. A medical assistant is also on site at the facility.

The company has hired employees to sanitize doorknobs, handrails, break rooms and eating surfaces for all shifts; provided PPE and an enhanced sick leave policy and is offering telecommuting for job functions that can be performed remotely.

Leprino Foods

On Monday, Leprino Foods confirmed that an employee at its Lemoore West cheese-making facility had tested positive.

A company spokesperson said the employee was the only case at either of its Lemoore facilities, the Leader reported. The Lemoore West plant is one of the largest cheese-manufacturing facilities in the world with over 640,000-square-feet of cheese-making capacity. It employs 1,000 people.

The employee is not at work and any affected areas at the facility have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Additional cleaning and safety protocols were put in place at the facilities in March.

This story was originally published May 12, 2020 at 12:54 PM.