June 22 (UPI) -- China says it has suspended imports of poultry from a Tyson Foods plant in Arkansas where more than 200 employees were found to be infected with the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
The Chinese General Administration of Customs announced Sunday it has banned poultry products made at one Tyson plant in the United States due to a COVID-19 outbreak there.
Chinese officials used a serial number to identify the plant, which according to Tyson records is its Berry Street facility in Springdale, Ark.
The company said 227 of the plant's 1,120 employees tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month.
"At Tyson, our top priority is the health and safety of our team members, and we work closely with the US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service to ensure that we produce all of our food in full compliance with government safety requirements," the company said in an issued statement.
China imposed the ban after expanding lockdowns due to a new outbreak in Beijing. Officials in the capital heightened health alerts last week after around 100 new cases reported over a five-day period.
