The Saskatchewan Health Authority announced a new COVID-19 outbreak on Tuesday. CEO Scott Livingstone said it’s an outbreak of one person at a dairy facility in the Saskatoon area.
“At this time an active case investigation is underway and based on that investigation there’s been no identified need for a public service announcement because of low transmission risk to the public. It is a single employee.”
Saputo’s Vice President of Communications says only one employee to date has had a confirmed case of COVID-19 at their milk processing plant on Wakooma Street in Saskatoon.
Sandy Vassiadis says the employee in question has not been on the premises since April 27th. The Saputo plant employs 250 people and in those 8 days no other employee has reported symptoms. Employees who came into contact with the individual who tested positive also were told to self isolate at the same time although no specific number of possible affected employees was provided.
Measures in the plant that have been introduced include markings on floors, in the corridors, more rooms were introduced so employees could safely maintain physical distancing while having lunch which also included markings on the tables and floors to indicate the 2 metre or six foot limit for contact.
She says they also are doing a deeper cleaning on the manufacturing side, in high traffic areas like door knobs, faucets, and bathrooms are cleaned more frequently and between each use. Vassiadis says the company was informed two days ago that the employee had tested positive for COVID 19.
As to providing masks for employees, Vassiadis said she wouldn’t speak to any one Saputo plant but the company provides masks as they are arriving. When asked if they have enough masks she indicated that at the onset of COVID-19, in certain regions, obtaining masks was an issue, and while waiting to have enough masks have encouraged employees to use their own if they felt safer.
Chicken processing and beef processing plants have had production grind to a halt due to COVID-19 among employees in those facilities.
The Agriculture Union, which represents federal food inspectors, doesn’t think the money announced on Tuesday for food processors is going to solve the issue of protecting workers safety. The union sites a lack of adequate personal protective gear. President Fabian Murphy said in a statement that supplies of PPE that are available are dedicated to the health care industry, which needs them. But he points out the processing plants need them too however, the PPE is just not available. For details on the federal government announcement Tuesday click here.
There are outbreaks of COVID-19 at the Cargill Plant south of Calgary in High River with almost a thousand cases and another outbreak at JBS Foods in Brooks, Alberta in addition to a third outbreak at Harmony Beef in Balzac, north of Calgary.
