Thirteen employees have been sent home as a precaution from Olymel’s Red Deer facility and were asked to take the COVID-19 test after an employee tested positive on Tuesday.
The painter in paintings on Monday, August 10, when he reported symptoms, Olymel communications manager Richard Vigneault told Global News. He without delay sent him home and asked to be tested for COVID-19.
He checked on Tuesday and Thursday, his verification result was positive again, the company said. Now he’s isolated and recovering at home.
Olymel has put in place protocols and has been notified to the government of public fitness, as well as occupational fitness and protection, Vigneault said. In addition, any other workers who might have been exposed to this case sent home and asked for the test as well.
On Friday morning a letter was sent to each of the workers working at the Red Deer facility explaining the situation. There are another 1,500 people running on the site.
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As of Monday, thirteen workers had been sent home. Vigneault stated that he did not know if any of those other people had any symptoms.
Olymel has implemented strict security measures at Red Deer since March, adding face shields, masks, barriers and physical distance requirements, the company said.
No cases of COVID-19 had been filed until last week, Vigneault added.
The facility is on Alberta Health’s list of outbreaks.
A spokesperson for Alberta Health explained that there will need to be evidence of transmission to five or more COVID-19 instances with joint exposure for an outbreak to report.
If an outbreak is reported, “all positive cases are isolated, competitive contact studies are underway, and fitness officials are investigating imaginable transmission resources and any epidemiological links,” said Sherene Khaw, Deputy Director of Communications at Alberta Health. “All symptomatic and asymptomatic personnel should be screened in an epidemic context.”