FRASER Health Public Health announced on Wednesday that it had closed Wingtat Game Bird Packers Inc., a poultry processing plant located at 9752 186th Street, Surrey, following an outbreak of COVID-19 among staff working at the facility.

Mass testing of the facility’s employees has started and, to date, 30 employees have tested positive for COVID-19.

All employees at the facility have been screened, and case and contact management is ongoing. Those identified as cases and close contacts have been instructed to self-isolate.

According to Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), there is no evidence to suggest that food is a likely source or route of transmission for the virus. At this time, there have been no reported cases of food or food packaging being associated with the transmission of COVID-19. Therefore, no recall of chicken products distributed from this plant is required.

Fraser Health said everybody should continue to follow good hygiene practices during food handling and preparation, such as:

· Washing hands with soap and water

· Regularly cleaning and disinfecting surfaces

· Cooking meat thoroughly

· Avoiding potential cross-contamination between cooked and uncooked foods

The CFIA delivers ongoing inspections on-site to verify the operator’s compliance with the Safe Food for Canadians Act and Regulations. The CFIA also requires that establishments have COVID-19 prevention documentation which clearly articulate mitigation measures and their response to a suspected and confirmed case of COVID-19 to support public health requirements and guidance.

For more information about COVID-19, please visit fraserhealth.ca/covid19.