T-L Photo/ ROBERT A. DEFRANK Some workers United Dairy in Martins Ferry have tested positive for coronavirus according to the Belmont County Health Department.

MARTINS FERRY — The coronavirus struck the United Dairy processing facility in Martins Ferry this week, infecting multiple employees working in one area of the plant.

Belmont County Deputy Health Director Robert Sproul confirmed the cases Friday. Sproul could not say how many United Dairy employees have been infected, but he said three of the employees who tested positive are Belmont County residents.

“(We’re) not sure if there are ones who live in other counties or states,” Sproul said in a text message. “We had some cases that we isolated in one area. They brought in a professional cleaner to sanitize everything, and are monitoring their other employees for symptoms.

“They cleaned the facility and all of the equipment in that area,” Sproul added.

He said his office does not know how many workers have gone into quarantine as a result of being in contact with the infected individuals.

“They self-quarantined while they await testing,” he said.

United Dairy did not respond to a request for comment about the situation. On Friday, though, Sproul said the dairy was still open for business.

Sproul added that his office has been active in advising industrial sites about how to proceed with operations during the pandemic.

“We have been talking with other facilities about precautions they need to take with our numbers increasing,” he said. “Other facilities are working through this rise in numbers.”

The number of new COVID-19 cases has risen steadily in the past few weeks, both locally and across the state and nation. Belmont County’s total number of cases since March is now close to 1,000, and the number of active cases in the county surpassed 150 this week despite more than a dozen recoveries announced late Thursday.

As of Friday, Sproul placed the total number of coronavirus cases since the beginning of the pandemic at 927, with 744 recoveries. Counting the latest cases from United Dairy, there are 151 active cases. Recently, one of the seven residents who had been hospitalized with the virus recovered, but another was then hospitalized, bringing the number back to seven.

Since the virus was brought to Belmont County, 25 infected residents have died, including nine inmates at Belmont Correctional Institution.

Concern that hospitals may be overwhelmed is a statewide worry with the increase in cases. The spike is occurring in conjunction with flu season and cold weather, which is putting more people in close confines indoors.

The public is reminded to exercise caution during trick or treat this Halloween. People should not gather in large groups. Those handing out or collecting candy should exercise precautions such as wearing a face covering to guard against transmission of the virus, washing or sanitizing hands frequently, and finding ways to maintain a social distance of 6 feet or more from anyone who does not live within their household. People are urged to find safe ways to distribute candy, such as scattering treat bags on a table rather than presenting one bowl of candy for all the children to reach into.