Of those, 62% were workers in the apple industry and other packing operations or warehouses, according to a Reuters review of data from county health officials. Workers at six fruit packing sites in Yakima County went on strike in May due to concerns they were not being provided adequate protection from COVID-19, Franks said. Monterey is one of only a handful of health departments in nearly 30 of the largest US fruit and vegetable producing counties that tracks virus cases among agricultural workers, Reuters found. Meanwhile, coronavirus cases near tomato-growing Immokalee, Florida, are also on the rise. The Florida Department of Agriculture is planning for more on-farm outbreaks by partnering with county health departments, hotels for quarantine housing, and educating workers.

Source: bd News24 June 11, 2020 18:00 UTC