An Angus abattoir has been struck by a Covid-19 outbreak.
Sources suggest as many as ten employees of the Quality Pork plant in Brechin have tested positive for the virus.
A number of other workers have been advised to isolate at home.
The slaughterhouse remains in operation.
The plant is involved in the killing and processing of pigs for markets at home and abroad.
The Montrose Road facility has undergone significant investment in recent years.
One employee who has now contracted the virus said staff were told there had been a positive test at the factory earlier this week.
“As you might expect, it now seems to have affected more people,” said the worker.
“I wasn’t feeling poorly and am not showing symptoms, but I was advised to take a test.
“It has now come back positive,” they added.
“It’s quite possible I got it from someone there, but I can’t be 100%.”
The worker added: “They have done their best with regard to social isolating and have plastic screens up in the plant, but in this type of business you are always working alongside other people.
“I think we’ve done well to last this long without getting many cases, but maybe we’ve just lucked out.”
The company has been asked for a response.
NHS Tayside said no Incident Management Team has been arranged for the plant at this stage.
Quality Pork Limited was formed in 2014 as a collaboration between Scottish Pig Producers, Scotlean and Tulip Ltd.
It processes upwards of 5,000 pigs each week.
Substantial investment was made in the plant to enable it to export to markets including China.
