Health officials can't provide updates on COVID-19 outbreak at Virginia Maruchan ramen factory

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Stacked boxed cases of packaged chicken flavored Ramen (Getty)

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (FOX 5 DC) - The Chesterfield Health Department says it is unable to provide updates on a coronavirus outbreak that occurred at a Maruchan ramen noodle factory. 

WRIC-TV in Richmond initially reported at least seven workers at the facility in Chesterfield County tested positive for COVID-19. 

A spokesperson for Maruchan Virginia Inc., which is a subsidiary of Toyo Suisan Kaisha Ltd in Tokyo, told the news station last week that the factory remains open despite the positive cases.

FOX 5 reached out to the health department for an update on case numbers surrounding the outbreak, but officials said they are unable to provide updated numbers. 

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"We can confirm the Maruchan Virginia report about employees testing positive for COVID-19 at their Chesterfield facility," Chesterfield Health District Director Dr. Alexander Samuel said in a statement. "Due to reporting restrictions specified in state code, the health department is unable to provide updated numbers."

The company has not responded to several calls from FOX 5 since Monday.

The factory, which opened in the area in 1989, had around 420 employees as of August 2018.

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