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| - Dutch authorities Wednesday closed down an abattoir in the centre of the country saying the company broke anti-coronavirus guidelines after a string of infections. Police and fire department vehicles blocked off the entrance to the Vion meat company in Appeldoorn after police said rules regarding the transport of employees had not been observed. "There were too many people, sitting too close to each other in small buses" transporting them to work, the North and East Gelderland Safety Region Authority said. As a result, the order was given "to close down the premises", it said in a statement. Local media reported that some 18 buses with migrant labourers arrived at the company earlier Wednesday. Vion on Monday said it was "taking immediate additional measures to contain corona infection within its companies." The announcement came after dozens of Vion's workers tested positive for coronavirus at another site, prompting several hundred to go into quarantine, the NOS national broadcaster reported. Safety authorities however said they decided to intervene Wednesday "because the management of Vion has not kept to the agreement to supervise safe transport for its employees." Several other countries have also seen COVID-19 outbreaks in abattoirs including Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Spain and the United States, where at least 5,000 meat and poultry workers contracted the virus. cvo-jhe/spm
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