Four B.C. poultry processing plants have recorded outbreaks of COVID-19, Fraser Health confirmed May 1.
The two new outbreaks are at Port Coquitlam's Sofina Foods, and Chilliwack's Fraser Valley Specialty Poultry. They are in addition to ones at Coquitlam's Superior Poultry and East Vancouver's United Poultry.
Sofina Foods remains open even though one staff member has tested positive for the virus that has caused a global pandemic. Health officials are conducting contact management to try to determine who could have been infected as a result of the case, and all symptomatic employees have been tested.
Fraser Valley Specialty Poultry, however, has been closed. All staff at the facility have been tested and Fraser Health's closure order is in place until the company can demonstrate that it meets provincial health orders.
The other two previously announced poultry facilities have larger outbreaks. That includes an outbreak with 52 employee infections at Superior Poultry, and an outbreak with 35 employee infections at United Poultry.
"Public health teams are also providing support to a number of community outbreaks, actively contact-tracing those who may be directly affected and their close contacts," said provincial health officer Bonnie Henry and B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix in a statement.
Dix and Henry also released a new set of numbers to show the progression of the disease in the province.
There were 33 new infections identified in the past 24 hours, for a total of 2,145 cases since the first infection was identified in the province on Janaury 28 and confirmed a day later. Of those infected, 63.2%, or 1,357 people, have recovered.
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases by B.C. health region are:
• 823 in Vancouver Coastal Health;
• 978 in Fraser Health;
• 121 in Island Health;
• 174 in Interior Health; and
• 49 in Northern Health.
One new death from the virus was recorded in the past 24 hours, and there have been 112 deaths in total. There are 79 people who have been hospitalized, with 24 of those in intensive care units.
Other community outbreaks with COVID-19 in B.C. include the federal medium-security Mission Institution, where 133 inmates and staff have been infected. There are also 15 positive cases of the virus linked to the Kearl Lake plant in Alberta.
Outbreaks have so far been recorded at 36 seniors' living or care-home facilities. Of those outbreaks, 12 have been declared over.
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