FAIRMONT — Fairmont Foods on Friday announced that one of its employees has tested positive for COVID-19, and the plant is closed for operations until Monday evening.

In a statement, the company said it has been working with the county and state health departments. Tim Langer, Public Health sanitarian at Human Services of Faribault and Martin Counties, confirmed that information on Friday.

The bulk of the company’s statement follows:

“Upon learning of the positive test result, as a precautionary measure we halted production activities in the facility for deep cleaning and sanitation, in compliance with the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control. The cleaning will include not only the rigorous sanitation our food production areas receive daily but also deep cleaning of all common areas.

“All employees will be tested over the weekend with test results available within 24 hours. Employees testing negative for the COVID-19 will return to work and …

“A new thermal scanning system will be operational at the facility to check employees’ temperatures when they return on Monday and daily thereafter.

“Production at the Fairmont plant will resume the evening of Monday, April 27.”

It is estimated the plant employs more than 350 workers. It produces frozen entrees and side dishes.

Langer said his office met with representatives of the plant via Zoom on Friday morning. Mayo Clinic Health System-Fairmont has been involved, and will be involved in testing plant employees.

“We do want to get them back up and running,” Langer said. “We want to do it in a manner that is productive for everybody.”

He noted that the company’s response to the virus case has been voluntary, as opposed to being directed by government.

The Associated Press on Thursday reported that the list of companies dealing with infected workers has been growing every day at meat plants across the country. Among the latest was the closure Wednesday of Tyson Foods’ huge pork-processing plant in Waterloo, Iowa, after numerous workers tested positive. That followed closures of a Smithfield Foods pork plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; a JBS beef plant in Greeley, Colorado; and many others. Some, including the Tyson pork plant in Perry, Iowa, have reopened after deep cleanings.