Oregon Health Authority Discloses Another COVID-19 Outbreak at Fruit Company

The report comes on the day OHA began a new transparency policy on locations of workplace clusters of the virus.

Townsend Farms. (Wesley Lapointe)

Less than a day after the Oregon Health Authority changed its policy on disclosing the locations of COVID-19 outbreaks, the agency revealed a new outbreak in the Columbia River Gorge, a large fruit-growing area.

"An outbreak of six COVID-19 cases has been connected to Duckwall Fruit in Hood River County," OHA's daily report said May 28. "The investigation started today, May 29. State and county public health officials are working with the business to address the outbreak and protect the health of workers. The risk to the general public is considered low."

Duckwall Fruit is a pear-packing warehouse in Odell, a small town in the Hood River Valley.

Until May 27, the OHA had a policy of not disclosing workplace outbreaks. But after WW reported that day on the identity of an east Multnomah County fruit grower and processor, Townsend Farms, which is in the middle of its second large COVID-19 outbreak, the agency changed its policy and will now report the name and location of workplaces with outbreaks of at least five cases.

Related: From Now On, the Oregon Health Authority Will Disclose Locations of COVID Outbreaks of 5 or More Cases

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