Officials with Tyson Foods Inc., in Perry, confirmed Friday night that some of the company’s labor force in Perry have tested positive for COVID-19. According to media reports, Tyson’s communications manager confirmed multiple individuals at the plant have tested positive, but specific information would not be shared out of concerns over privacy issues. Unconfirmed reports received Friday from employees at the Perry plant claim some 27 suspected or confirmed cases have been identified.

An officials with the Dallas County Public Health Department said Friday her department could neither confirm nor deny that there are any positive COVID-19 cases Tyson plant in Perry plant, because it would fall under the HIPPA guidelines.

HIPPA – The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 – restricts the disclosure of “individually identifiable health information” but does not restrict the disclosure of “de-identified health information” that “neither identifies nor provides a reasonable basis to identify an individual.”