Alyse Kotyk
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VANCOUVER –
A food processing facility in the Fraser Health area was closed after nearly two dozen employees recently tested positive for COVID-19.
The health department issued a notice on Sunday about Grand River Foods, a processing facility on Wheel Avenue in Abbotsford.
« So far, 22 employees at the facility have tested positive for COVID-19 as part of this outbreak, » said a statement from Fraser Health.
« Case and contact management is ongoing. Those identified as cases and close contacts have been instructed to self-isolate. »
A group of cases was first identified on February 2, and the outbreak reported on February 19, according to Fraser Health. The website was last inspected on February 18 and has since been ordered to close.
The health authority says it is working with staff to identify anyone who may have been exposed to the disease. It is also working with the facility to improve the COVID-19 mitigation plan.
« According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, there is no evidence that food is a likely source or route of transmission for the virus, » said the Fraser Health statement.
« At this point in time, no cases of food or food packaging related to the transmission of COVID-19 were reported. »
As a result, Fraser Health said a recall of chicken products made from this plant is not required.
Other processing plants in the lower mainland have also handled outbreaks during the pandemic. In December, nine employees at Rossdown Farms in Abbotsford tested positive for the disease, but the facility was not ordered to close.
And at the start of the pandemic, 28 employees at a poultry processing plant in Vancouver tested positive after at least some employees reportedly felt they had to keep working even if they felt sick.
According to Fraser Health, the CFIA requires these facilities to have COVID-19 prevention records outlining their mitigation measures and how they respond to a confirmed illness.
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Ref: https://bc.ctvnews.ca
