Berlin, Jun 18 (IANS): Some 400 out of a total 500 workers of a slaughterhouse German state of North Rhine-Westphalia have tested positive for the novel coronavirus since the beginning of this week, local media reported.

The slaughterhouse, located in the town of Rheda-Wiedenbrueck, has been ordered to be temporarily closed, Xinhua news agency quoted district administrator Sven-Georg Adenauer as saying on Wednesday at a press conference.

According to a report by the ARD broadcasting service, the results of another 400 tests of the workers were pending.

Due to the fresh outbreak, all schools and daycare centre in Guetersloh district, where the slaughterhouse is located, will be closed from Thursday until June 29

Slaughterhouses in Germany have become hotspots for COVID-19 infections.

In early May, an outbreak of more than 200 cases was reported at a Westfleisch meat-processing plant, also located in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Germany has reported a total of 188,604 COVID-19 cases, with 8,851 deaths.