Astoria seafood processor shuts down amid 13 COVID-19 cases

ASTORIA, Ore. (AP) — A seafood processor in Astoria has shut down after 13 workers tested positive for the new coronavirus.

The outbreak at Bornstein Seafoods tripled the number of cases in Clatsop County after three weeks during which no new cases had emerged, The Astorian reported Tuesday. Tests on five more people who show symptoms of the illness are pending.

The newspaper reported that the Lower Columbia Hispanic Council filed a complaint with the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration on April 13 — before the outbreak — on behalf of plant workers. The complaint cited a lack of personal protective equipment and a lack of social distancing inside the plants.

Bornstein Seafoods employs more than 150 people between two plants at the Port of Astoria.

An OSHA spokesperson confirmed a complaint is open, but declined to comment on whether OSHA has inspected the plant.

Andrew Bornstein, the co-owner and vice president of the seafood processor, contested the workers’ claims and said his company has been training staff on guidelines from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more than a month.

“We have been engaging our staff, our health partners, the Hispanic council, OSHA and anybody else who wants to help keep people safe,” Bornstein told the newspaper. “We take this very seriously and continue to follow the lead provided to us by the Public Health Department.”

Bornstein Seafoods alerted the county Friday after a worker in his 40s at the main plant tested positive for the coronavirus.

The company shut the plant down for deep cleaning. A second positive case — a woman in her 50s — was reported on Sunday.

Over the weekend, staff from the Clatsop County Public Health Department tested 35 workers with coronavirus symptoms, resulting in 13 positive cases.

The 11 positive cases reported on Monday include four women — one in her 30s and three in their 40s — and seven men — two in their 30s, four in their 50s and one in his 60s. More workers are expected to be tested Tuesday.