A Coquitlam poultry plant at the centre of a recent outbreak of COVID-19 has had the number of infected workers jump from two to 18 Saturday, April 25 and now 25 on Monday, April 27.
Fraser Health announced the closure of the Superior Poultry Processors Ltd. Friday, the day after the first cases were confirmed at the Coquitlam plant, and four days after a sister facility, United Poultry Co. Ltd in Vancouver, was shut down following the discovery of dozens of cases of COVID-19.
To date, Fraser Health has tested 236 employees of the facility, as well as 73 close contacts. Case and contact management is ongoing.
In a press release Friday, Fraser Health quoted the Canadian Food and Inspection Agency saying "there is no evidence to suggest that food is a likely source or route of transmission for the virus."
The new cases are part of a surge of 95 new cases announced Saturday by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. That’s the largest one day jump since late March.
Henry attributed the higher numbers to a several new community outbreaks, as well as the opening up of testing criteria beyond first responders, health care workers and those with underlying health conditions.
"Part of the reason we've had such a dramatic jump in cases today is related to the community outbreaks that we've been investigating," Henry said. Forty of the new cases are related to the ongoing outbreak at the Mission federal correctional institute in the Fraser Valley, after "extensive testing" was carried out within that facility, Henry said, including for those who were only showing minimal symptoms. That brings the total number of inmates who have tested positive to 106, in addition to 12 staff members from the facility.
Earlier Saturday, Port Coquitlam MLA and Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth announced an evacuation order to move hundreds of people living in tent encampments in Vancouver’s Oppenheimer park to eight hotels and two community centres in the city. Hundreds more at similar encampments in Victoria will also be provided shelter, food, medicine and a variety of social services.
The move marks a first step in lifting some of the province’s most vulnerable people out of homelessness and into relative safety where they can avoid the dangers of a tainted drug supply and the crowded living conditions conducive to the community spread of COVID-19. Provincial officials said more long-term measures will be worked out in the coming months.
There are currently 96 people in acute care in hospital, including 41 in critical care. This marks the lowest number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients B.C. has seen this month.
The total number of fatalities in B.C.caused by COVID-19 hit a grim milestone today, as Henry announced an additional two deaths. That brings the province's total to 100, less than a month after B.C. reported its first COVID-19-related death on March 30. Included in the two new deaths announced Saturday is B.C.'s first COVID-19-related fatality within the province's First Nations communities.
— with files from Megan Lalonde
