An Australian meatworks is at the centre of a virus outbreak

[MELBOURNE] An Australian meatworks is at the center of a coronavirus outbreak in echoes of the cluster of cases that have occurred at US beef plants, threatening American food security.

A total of 19 cases detected on Sunday originated at the meatworks, bringing the plant's total to 34, Brett Sutton, the chief medical officer for Victoria state, told reporters in Melbourne on Monday.

"Meatworks are particularly vulnerable -- we've seen from the US extremely large outbreaks in meatworks, in some ways because they are forced to work closer than in some other workplaces," Mr Sutton said. After the Australian cluster was identified, the meat processing plant moved to allow only essential workers who could address animal-welfare issues, he said.

Australia has recorded about 6,800 cases of the virus with 95 fatalities, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison is expected to detail plans to lift social-distancing restrictions on Friday. While the daily growth of new infections has slowed to less than 1 per cent, there are concerns clusters of outbreaks -- including in meatworks and in aged-care facilities -- could jeopardize the nation's ability to quickly lift the lockdown that's closed large sections of society and pushed the country toward its first recession in nearly three decades.

In the US, meat plants have been forced to slow output as producers combat a loss of labor. Social-distancing measures will also likely keep output trailing normal levels even as facilities reopen under an executive order from President Donald Trump. Outbreaks there have meant slaughterhouses are being retrofitted with physical barriers to keep workers safely away from each other.

BLOOMBERG