SAO PAULO (Reuters) – The hard work of Brazilian prosecutors sued JBS SA (JBSS3. SA) to force the dismissal of staff at one of its poultry processing plants, asking the company to assess their physical condition and eventually review them in search of the new coronavirus, according to a Tuesday.
The request comes as the JBS plant in Montenegro, in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, reported that 36 showed cases of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus. There are still 301 suspected cases at this facility, where an employee died of COVID-19 headaches, prosecutors said.
All 337 staff members with known and suspected instances began to show symptoms between July 14 and Aug. 14, prosecutors said, emphasizing “the severity of the scenario at the plant. “
JBS told Reuters it had been officially informed of the trial.
Rio Grande do Sul-based federal prosecutors said the lawsuit, the seventh they had filed, was opposed to JBS since the start of the pandemic.
Prosecutors began investigating operating situations at the Montenegro plant on April 3, it said.
JBS has stated that it is in compliance with federal regulations followed in June governing factories operating amid the pandemic and is also following the recommendation of famous fitness establishments to prevent outbreaks in their meat factories.
Reporting through Ana Mano; Editing via Aurora Ellis
All quotes were delayed for at least 15 minutes. See here for a full list of changes and delays.
© 2020 Reuters. All rights reserved.