MARSHALL — A Marshall turkey processing plant confirmed Tuesday that one of their employees has tested positive for COVID-19.

While the Turkey Valley Farms plant is still operating, Turkey Valley Farms spokespeople said the plant will be doing additional screening of workers before they enter the facility, as well as keeping up advanced safety measures that have been put in place over the past couple of months.

“We are committed to the health and safety of our work family and our community,” Turkey Valley Farms said in a Tuesday news release.

Turkey Valley Farms said one employee has tested positive for COVID-19, and that employee is now quarantined. As a precaution, members of the employee’s family are quarantining as well, the release said.

Turkey Valley Farms is a grower-owned company that has been producing turkey since 1973, the company said. Turkey Valley farms employs 450 people in Marshall.

While they have been impacted by COVID-19, Turkey Valley Farms said there is currently no recognized health or safety hazard at its workplace.

“We have been and continue to operate a safe workplace in accordance with all state and local safety and health guidelines. We have collaborated with multiple agencies and medical professionals to provide the very best preventative measures in our workplace. We have and continue to educate our employees on both in and out of workplace best practices,” the release said.

Turkey Valley Farms has been increasing education and health and safety measures at the Marshall plant since March, said Scott Rowe, Human Resources manager at Turkey Valley Farms.

“We take a lot of pride in our employees,” Rowe said. Turkey Valley Farms also wanted to be proactive in fighting the coronavirus, he said. Employee education and taking health precautions outside the workplace would be important for helping people stay healthy.

Rowe said Turkey Valley has worked with the area public health agency, as well as working to follow state health guidelines.

“We’ve talked about this with a lot of people from the very beginning,” he said.

Rowe said Turkey Valley has posted information for employees in multiple languages on preventing the spread of COVID-19, and has held meetings with employees on hygiene and safety. In late March, they started no-contact procedures for truck drivers arriving at the plant, he said. Turkey Valley Farms has also increased sanitization efforts at the plant, and required employees to wear face masks. Since April 7, employees have had their temperatures taken before coming into the facility, Rowe said.

Rowe said Turkey Valley will continue to communicate with the Minnesota Department of Health and area public health. Starting later this week, employees will also complete health questionnaires before work, he said.

Numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in southwest Minnesota continue to rise. On Tuesday, the Minnesota Department of Health said Lyon County now had 10 reported cases, and Murray County 20.

“We’re going to start seeing even more increases happening,” because more COVID-19 testing is being done, said Lauren Mellenthin, emergency response coordinator for Southwest Health and Human Services. Having more widespread testing available is a good thing, because it can help people make the decision to isolate themselves if they are sick, Mellenthin said.

SWHHS has also continued to work with area businesses to provide information on slowing the spread of COVID-19, she said.