Recent News

Media Contact:
Lisa Cox
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Lisa.Cox@health.mo.gov

 

5-5-20 Update:

The comprehensive testing of asymptomatic workers of Triumph Foods in St. Joseph, Mo. has concluded.

412 employees and contract workers of Triumph Foods, who presented for testing sample collection with no related symptoms, have received positive results for COVID-19. This is out of 2,367 workers who were tested on site April 27-May 1 at Triumph Foods as part of the State’s “box in” testing strategy when an outbreak is present among people living or working closely together.

As Triumph Foods has informed its team members, DHSS has advised Triumph Food and their staff that the return to work guidance, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been changed from 7 days to 10 days.

Anyone who becomes symptomatic should notify their health care provider. Testing continues to be available at the mobile testing site operated by Northwest Health Services.

5-3-20 Update:

As of this morning, 373 employees and contract workers of Triumph Foods, who presented for testing sample collection with no related symptoms, have received positive results for COVID-19.

“We continue to work this weekend contacting these asymptomatic patients and have initiated the process of contact tracing with those determined to be close contacts of our positive cases,” said Dr. Randall Williams, director of DHSS.

Anyone who becomes symptomatic should notify their health care provider.

5-2-20 Update:

As of this morning, 359 employees and contract workers of Triumph Foods, who presented for testing sample collection with no related symptoms, have received positive results for COVID-19. Results from this comprehensive testing continue to come in on a rolling basis, and updates will continue to be provided this weekend as results are received and case contact tracing is continued.

 

May 1, 2020 News Release

JEFFERSON CITY, MO – As announced yesterday, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) partnered with the City of St. Joseph Health Department, Northwest Health Services and Mosaic Life Care to offer COVID-19 testing to all employees and contract staff at Triumph Foods in St. Joseph. The latest results show 167 new cases among Triumph Foods staff who were not showing symptoms. These cases are among the 916 employees who had samples collected Tuesday.

Prior to this week, Triumph Foods had a total of 46 employees test positive for the virus that causes COVID-19. On Monday, comprehensive testing of asymptomatic employees began. Of 707 employees tested, 92 received positive results. A total of 305 employees currently have laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. 

Samples were collected for testing at the processing facility from an additional 709 employees on Wednesday and Thursday, bringing the total tested to more than 2,300. Any employees who are still seeking testing can do so next week through the mobile testing site operated by Northwest Health Services.

DHSS has staff on site in St. Joseph today assisting with case investigations and contact tracing. Staff from surrounding local public health agencies are assisting as well. 

“We continue to work closely with our partners to monitor this situation,” said Dr. Randall Williams, director of DHSS. “Many thanks to the employees for the important work that they do and for their willingness to be tested and to follow our guidance which will prevent further spread of this virus.”

Cases are counted by county of the patient’s residence, not by location of the employer or where the test was conducted. Not all cases among Triumph Foods employees will be counted in Buchanan County’s total case count as they are not all county residents.

Visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus or the DHSS website at www.health.mo.gov/coronavirus for more information or to ask questions using the state site’s COVID-19 interactive chatbot. A statewide COVID-19 hotline is also available at 877-435-8411.

###

Initial COVID-19 results in from asymptomatic testing from Buchanan County food plant (April 30, 2020 news release)

About the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services: The department seeks to be the leader in protecting health and keeping people safe. More information about DHSS can be found at http://health.mo.gov or find us on Facebook and Twitter @HealthyLivingMo