In North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state, an estimated 18,000-20,000 meatpacking workers will be tested.

Health authorities in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein have also planned to test all abattoir workers.

READ: German towns to reimpose shutdowns over coronavirus clusters

The move comes after an outbreak of Covid-19 was detected at a meatpacking plant in Coesfeld, near Münster. 

READ: What's the latest on coronavirus in Germany and what do I need to know?

Employees at the West Fleisch processing plant were tested, with 151 out of a possible 200 testing positive for the virus. 

In total, 13 people from the plant have been hospitalised while the rest of those are reportedly suffering only from minor symptoms. 

Further outbreaks were detected in the town of Oer-Erkenschwick, where 33 out of a possible 1,250 workers tested positive, and in the town of Bad Bramstedt, where 109 workers tested positive. 

In addition to the testing, the NRW state government will delay the relaxation of lockdown measures in Coesfeld. 

Despite the delay, schools and day care facilities will again be allowed to open on May 11th – the official date for relaxing lockdowns across the rest of the country.