After the Dordogne, then the Vienne, the West of France, hitherto spared, fears that the famous “second wave” of contamination with Covid-19 will start from the Atlantic coast. This Sunday indeed, on the eve of the deconfinement of the Hexagon, the Vendée was added to the list of areas to watch after the discovery of a potential outbreak in an agrifood company.
According to the prefecture and the regional health agency (ARS), four employees of a poultry slaughterhouse located in Essarts-en-Bocage - belonging to the company Arrivé, whose flagship brand is Maître Coq - have tested positive at Covid -19 and a screening campaign is underway
Over 400 people still to be tested
These four contaminated employees were part of an initial group of 261 employees tested on Saturday by an approved laboratory. “A second series of around 400 direct debits (staff remaining) will take place this Monday, May 11 in the company. The State services and the ARS are in constant contact with the management of the company to determine the preventive measures necessary for this situation ”, according to the joint press release.
"Each person tested positive will be subject to isolation and support by the health authorities," it said.
Identification of contact subjects
Given the incubation period of the virus, “the work of identifying risky contact subjects starts this Sunday. It will be carried out by the ARS, in close collaboration with the occupational physician and the managers of the company, ”the press release underlines. "Anyone considered as such as a contact subject will also be tested and invited to isolate themselves pending the results," specify the prefecture and the ARS.
Two other “clusters”, in the same southwest quarter of France, appeared during the weekend. According to the director of ARS Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the "situation is under control" for the first outbreak of coronavirus in Dordogne, after a funeral where several people had gathered. In addition, tests are underway and the start of the school year had to be postponed in a college in Chauvigny, in Vienne, after the discovery of several contaminated personnel, a priori during a day of preparation for returning to class.