The Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit has declared a workplace outbreak at Walmart in Wallaceburg
“After a fourth positive case yesterday in employees of Wallaceburg Walmart, a workplace outbreak has been declared,” CK Public Health officials told the Sydenham Current in an email sent on Friday, January 15, 2021.
“Our contact tracing has not confirmed that transmission is happening in the workplace, but at this time workplace transmission cannot be ruled out as the cases could have shared work areas.”
CK Public Health officials added: “As there is no common source of exposure that has been identified outside of the workplace, an outbreak has been declared and CK Public is conducting further testing.”
All close contacts of cases have been identified, notified, and isolated in order to prevent further spread, CK Public Health officials added.
“No cases or contacts have been identified in store patrons and the risk to the public remains very low,” public health officials say.
“Anyone who has not been contacted by CK Public Health does not need to be concerned about exposure risk. CK Public Health continues to investigate and manage the situation.”
Officials with Walmart Canada could not be immediately reached for comment.
Public health officials confirmed the workplace outbreak at the Wallaceburg Walmart was the new workplace outbreak announced this morning during their daily update.
Jeff Mocco, a spokesperson for CK Public Health, said when positive COVID-19 results are received public health nurses contact the cases and conduct “a thorough investigation” that includes ensuring they are safely isolated until they are no longer infectious.
“The case management process also includes identifying and isolating close contacts in order to reduce risk of further transmission,” Mocco told the Sydenham Current.
“In terms of workplace protocols, it is often up to the employer how they communicate with their staff in terms positive cases.”
For more information about COVID-19, residents are asked to visit
http://www.ckpublichealth.com/covid19Â or call the CK Public Health COVID-19 intake line at 519-355-1071 ex. 1900.
