Jack Link's Snacks worker dies of COVID-19 in South Dakota

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - An employee at a Jack Link’s Protein Snacks plant in South Dakota died after contracting COVID-19, the company reported Tuesday.

58 employees at the Alpena meat processing plant have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the South Dakota Department of Health. Jack Link’s did not give further details on the employee who died, but said it was checking employees for symptoms of the coronavirus before they entered the facility and requiring them to wear protective equipment.

Kevin McAdams, the president of the company, said in a statement, “Since the COVID-19 situation began we have taken numerous proactive measures in order to protect the safety of our valued team members and the communities in which they live and work, and are following a series of strict protocols which were developed in accordance with guidance from the CDC and USDA.”

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.