By Troy Gillard

Over 1,500 employees

First confirmed COVID-19 case at Red Deer pork processing plant

Aug 17, 2020 | 4:43 PM

A pork processing plant in Red Deer that employs over 1,500 people has recorded its first confirmed case of COVID-19.

Olymel spokesperson Richard Vigneault says a worker at their Red Deer facility came to work showing symptoms of the novel coronavirus last Monday, Aug. 10. They were sent home and went for a test the following day. Two days later, on Thurs. Aug. 13, the test came back positive.

A total of 13 other workers who may have come into contact with the infected individual have been sent home as a precaution, including six on Friday and seven more on Monday. Vigneault says none of them have shown symptoms of COVID-19 but were recommended to also get tested.

Olymel officials have notified all employees at the facility of the situation.

Vigneault says extensive preventative measures in place have kept their Red Deer plant from being hit hard by COVID-19 as other meat processing facilities in the province have been.

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“They will continue as long as there is a pandemic,” he notes. “We hope that this employee recovers very soon and that the 13 others will be OK.”