Testing of Tyson employees underway in Walla Walla County

WALLA WALLA, Wash.-- The Walla Walla County Department of Community Health (DCH) is working with Tyson Fresh Meats in Wallula, to test about 1,400 employees at the plant.

According to a press release from DCH, the agency started testing all employees on Friday, April 24.

DCH says they expect to start getting results from those test sometime this week.

Meanwhile, DCH is reporting four new cases of the virus in Walla Walla County as of Monday morning. Nine cases are connected to the Tyson facility in Walla Walla County, while the Benton-Franklin Health District (BFHD) is monitoring 105 cases of COVID-19 in connection with the plant.

The results of the tests from the Tyson employees will be reviewd by DCH staff, health officers with the Walla Walla County DCH and BFHD, Washington Department of Health, and Tyson to determine a plan to resume production at the facility.

Officials with Tyson Foods announced last week that they would close down operations at the Wallula facility and ask workers to shelter at home until testing is completed.