Canada’s Minister of Health says the outbreak of COVID-19 at a meat-processing facility near High River has raised concerns about the workplace and the social environment of the workers. Earlier this week, nearly 40 cases were confirmed at the Cargill plant and now Alberta Health Services reports 360 cases in employees and 484 linked to the outbreak, raising questions on the federal response to the matter.
Patty Hajdu says the risk is not in the food but in the families and contacts of the workers. She says one worker has already died and conversations continue to understand how best to support the plants and the farmers behind them.
Canada’s top doctor, Theresa Tam, adds as long as safe hygiene practices are kept, food should be safe. Cargill is closing the location on a temporary basis.