El Milagro worker dies from COVID-19, plant temporarily closes

El Milagro has closed its tortilla plant in Chicago, on the Lower West Side, for two weeks, to sanitize the plant, after a worker died and other workers have tested positive for the coronavirus.

The employee who died from COVID-19 had not been at work since April 9. The company wrote a letter to employees over the weekend, and said they were recently notified about the employees death.

Four other workers have shown symptoms of COVID-19 and two workers at the facility were officially diagnosed with it.

An outside janitorial business has been hired to sanitize and deep-clean the plant, and employees who were scheduled to work during the times that the facility is closed will still be paid for 40 hours a week, said the company.

The facility will be closed through May 9.

Source: "El Milagro temporarily closes plant for cleaning after worker’s COVID-19 death; company’s corn tortilla output to fall 75%," Chicago Tribune, 4/29/20.