At least seven workers at a ramen noodle factory in Virginia are in quarantine after testing positive for the coronavirus, according to local media reports.
The plant in Chesterfield, about 15 miles south of Richmond, remains in operation, according to WRIC-TV in Richmond.
“Following the discovery of the infections, we conducted a deep cleaning based on [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines, and we will continue to enforce safety and sanitization precautions above and beyond what has been outlined by the CDC and the health department,” a company spokesperson told the station.
The facility, which opened in 1989, sits on 54 acres and had about 420 workers as of 2018, making it the company’s largest operation on the East Coast, according to Richmond BizSense.
The company is a subsidiary of Tokyo’s Toyo Suisan Kaisha Ltd.
The CDC says Virginia has had more than 25,000 confirmed COVID-19 infections, including more than 6,000 over the past week, along with 891 deaths.
Gov. Ralph Northam (D) on Tuesday delayed the first phase of reopening for the northern portions of the state, calling it “too soon for Northern Virginia,” which has not yet been able to meet the criteria established for easing restrictions.
Ramen sales jumped this spring as consumers stocked up on nonperishable items as stay-at-home orders were issued. Walmart told Bloomberg that ramen sales on its website shot up by 578% between Feb. 23 and March 21.
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