1 dead among 25 employees infected with coronavirus at Maple Lodge Farms

One person has died among 25 employees who have become infected with COVID-19 at Maple Lodge Farms.

A statement posted on the poultry plant website on Thursday said the employee who passed away tested positive for the virus last month. The employee who died is included in the 25 employees who tested positive.

Maple Lodge Farms Director of Corporate Affairs Carol Gardin tells 680 NEWS they first learned an employee had tested positive on April 16. Peel Public Health and the other employees were informed at that time.

The first cases weren’t reported to the public until a statement was released on May 4. Peel Public Health says 24 cases had been reported to them by April 30.

The Brampton company says each time an employee tested positive, they informed Public Health and have been putting preventive measures in place to stop the spread.

When asked why the cases weren’t reported to the public, Gardin said “Public Health is the authority responsible for public reporting. It is crucial that numbers are reported through the appropriate authority to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the data.”

She added after each case was reported, a thorough investigation took place in cooperation with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Upon further inquiry by CityNews, Gardin added that following the in-depth investigation, Public Health provided direction to Maple Lodge based on the findings, regarding what actions need to be taken to limit the risk of spread. She says those directions were strictly adhered to.

“If members of the public were at risk, part of the orders would have included an order to inform the public but this was not the case,” said Gardin.

In a statement, the union that represents the employees at the plant said they were deeply saddened by the loss of a member. They say their discussions with Maple Lodge have led to many safety protocols being put into place.

“These safety measures include the use of appropriate Personal Protect Equipment (PPE), staggering breaks and shifts to maintain physical distancing, enhanced cleaning for all areas of the plant, and provisions for members to travel to and from the plant in a secure fashion,” said Shawn Haggerty, President of United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 175.

Maple Lodge has temporarily suspended one-third of their operations to allow for risk assessment and a deep-clean of the plant. Employees are required to wear masks at all times and they have been equipped with additional personal protective equipment and non-essential visitors have been banned from the plant.

The poultry plant employs over 2,900 workers across the communities they operate in.

Note: A previous version of this article said Maple Lodge Farms first learned an employee had tested positive on April 15. They later corrected the date to April 16 and this article has been edited to reflect the correct date.