Two more poultry plants in B.C. report workers who have COVID-19

Two more poultry processing plants in British Columbia say they have workers who have tested positive for COVID-19. Sofina Foods Inc. in Port Coquitlam and Fraser Valley Specialty Poultry in Chilliwack say each of their facilities has one worker who has tested positive.

Sofina Foods says in a statement its employee lives with relatives who work at another plant that was recently closed after several workers tested positive for COVID-19.

The company, which employees over 400 workers, says the plant remains fully operational, and that disinfection protocols and physical distancing measures are in place.

Fraser Valley Specialty says its employee had been off the job since Friday with mild flu symptoms and tested positive on Tuesday.
Two other poultry operations in Metro Vancouver were ordered closed by health officials this month when workers at the plants tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

As of Tuesday, 80 COVID-19 cases had been linked to the two poultry facilities, with 46 at Superior Poultry Processors Ltd. in Coquitlam and 34 at United Poultry Co. Ltd. in Vancouver.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has said there is no indication food is a source of transmission of the virus.
Fraser Valley Specialty Poultry, which produces organic and specialty chicken, duck, squab and free-run geese, says in a statement that similar businesses have not been required to recall products after COVID-19 outbreaks.

Its office and farm store remain open, but the company says its plant was closed on Wednesday while it meets with officials to determine what happens next.
Sofina plant manager Kuljeet Chahal said the company was prepared and acted quickly to assess the risks. "Combined with the fact that the employee wore protective personal equipment at all times, we are confident that we had the right measures in place to help mitigate risks to other employees," Chahal said in the company's statement. 

The province has reported 2,087 cases of the new coronavirus. There have been 109 deaths from COVID-19 in B.C.