No COVID-19 contamination has been found in chicken meat at poultry processing plants or fresh markets in Thailand so far, said the Livestock Department today (Sunday).

The department’s statement, which stated that 2,251 samples have been tested, comes as a poultry processing plant, belonging to the CPF Company in Thailand’s central province of Saraburi, was closed after 245 of its workers tested positive for the virus.

Random swab tests have been conducted in areas connected to those infected and no trace of the coronavirus has been found, according to the department.

The department chief said strict COVID-19 preventative measures have been imposed in meat processing plants, supervised by the department’s veterinarians and scientists. If any meat is found to be contaminated, or at risk of contamination, sales and exports would be halted.

Thailand is one of the world’s top chicken exporters, having exported 945,000 tonnes of processed, refrigerated and frozen chicken, worth 105 billion Baht, last year.