KITCHENER The Cargill meat packaging plant in Guelph has started the process to shut down temporarily due to COVID-19. The closure will come into effect on Thursday. Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health said, as of Thursday, 82 people at the facility have tested positive for COVID-19. In total, 129 people, both cases and close contacts, are self-isolating. “All outbreaks are serious,” said Dr. Matthew Tenenbaum, Associate Medical Officer of Health. “However, when we see an outbreak of this size, we must use all of the tools available to us to contain the outbreak and ensure the community at large is protected.” “As cases rise in our region, we will be at more risk for outbreaks. That’s why we must do all we can to keep cases low and respond quickly to any outbreaks.”