By Ana Mano
SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazil’s third largest pork and poultry processor has agreed to test 11,000 workers for coronavirus starting on Aug. 21, labor prosecutors in Santa Catarina state said on Monday, referring to a settlement signed with Central Cooperativa Aurora Alimentos.
Aurora, which last week was identified by Chinese authorities as the origin of chicken products with alleged traces of coronavirus, was quoted as saying in the statement that the testing effort is an important tool to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks at its meat plants.
The company will pay for tests using the RT-PCR method on workers at the Guatambu, Xaxim and two Chapec units, according to the labor prosecutors.
Under the agreement, testing will be done in two stages at intervals of 14 to 21 days, the statement added.
A total of 22,000 tests may be applied, representing 10% of the total tests done in Santa Catarina state the beginning of the pandemic, the statement said.
(Reporting by Ana Mano; Editing by Chris Reese and Marguerita Choy)
