COVID-19 outbreak declared at LNG Canada site in Kitimat

The total for reported cases of COVID-19 will take a significant jump in the Northwest today, with Northern Health outlining the details behind the declaration of a COVID-19 outbreak at the LNG Canada project worksite in Kitimat.

In an Information Bulletin released today, Northern Health notes:

To date, 14 employees have tested positive for COVID-19. All of these cases are considered to be associated with this outbreak and occurred in the same general work location. Specific on-site employees are being screened. Contact management and tracing have gone well, and will continue. 

Those identified as cases and close contacts have been instructed to self-isolate. Thirty-two employees remain in selfisolation at the site, and the rest are isolating in their home community. 

Northern Health, LNG Canada, and JGC Fluor have been working together on planning, preparing and implementing COVID-19 measures since early spring and continue to work closely to ensure enhanced control measures are followed, to protect the health of all staff.

The outbreak declaration will remain in place for at least the next 28 days.

You can review the full Northern Health Statement here.

The word of the outbreak comes as Doctor Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix prepare for a much anticipated presentation today, with indications that a number of public health measures will be put in place to assist in the response to recent increase in COVID-19 reports over the last month.

That presentation will be streamed live across the province from the BC Government Facebook page, it's expected to take place shortly after 3PM

For some of the past notes on the Coroanvirus in BC and the Northwest see our archive page here.