Cargill Meatpacking Just Recorded A COVID-19 Outbreak At Another Alberta Facility

This sounds familiar. Dr. Deena Hinshaw announced on Friday, August 14, that a Cargill meatpacking facility is now the site of a COVID-19 outbreak. This comes just months after a different facility of theirs in High River became North America's largest COVID-19 outbreak. 

Dr. Hinshaw said in a tweet, "There are 5 cases linked to Cargill Case Ready Meats in #YYC. Widespread testing is underway." 

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She added that Alberta Health Services and Occupational Health and Safety officials have visited the site and are ensuring that measures are in place to protect the workers and prevent further spread of COVID-19. 

In a statement sent to Narcity by Cargill media representative Daniel Sullivan, the company said that the five workers who have tested positive are isolating at the moment. 

"At this time there are no known workplace links between the five active cases. These individuals were not in regular contact with one another or working in the same areas," the statement said. The Calgary facility has 400 employees. 

The first Cargill COVID-19 outbreak in Alberta took place at their meatpacking facility in High River. 

The original site also happened to be one of McDonald's Canada's beef suppliers.

That event was linked to 1,560 cases of COVID-19 in Alberta, making it the biggest single-site outbreak in North America at one point, according to CBC News.

Three deaths were recorded in relation to the cases at the High River plant. 

As for the current outbreak, Cargill told Narcity that they're doing what they can to prevent transmission of COVID-19 in their premises. 

"Out of an abundance of caution, we are working with AHS to offer testing to all of our employees over the next few days," the statement read. 

Measures like temperature screening, installation of protective barriers, and face shields are also in place. 

CBC reported that this facility supplies meat products to several grocery store chains in Canada. 

In addition to the Calgary Cargill plant, a childcare centre named Fledglings Educare Centre and a "private gathering" have also been identified as sources of COVID-19 outbreaks in the Calgary area, according to the Government of Alberta. 

The article's cover photo was used for illustrative purposes only.