VANCOUVER -- A Coquitlam, B.C., chicken processing plant that was still open the morning after a COVID-19 outbreak was reported has since been closed.
Two employees at Superior Poultry Processors Ltd. tested positive for the virus earlier this week, and public health officials were called in to investigate.
The first case at the facility was discovered Wednesday, and it appeared a team from Fraser Health was sent to the site on Thursday.
But the plant remained open Friday morning despite the discovery, prompting questions about whether it was safe to be operating.
Shortly before 3 p.m., however, Fraser Health said the plant on Aberdeen Avenue had been closed.
All employees have been screened, the health authority said, and anyone considered a close contact of those who tested positive has been told to self-isolate.
It is not yet known whether any additional cases have been identified.
On Thursday, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry told reporters health authorities expect to see more cases from the facility, which she described as a sister plant to United Poultry in Vancouver.
That processing plant was shut down this week after 28 workers tested positive for the virus. A 29th case has since been identified.
Premier John Horgan said Wednesday that some employees at United Poultry had been coming to work despite being sick because they were worried about lost wages.
On Wednesday, when asked by CTV News if there was any concern about the outbreak from United spreading to any other facilities, Fraser Health said there had been "no crossover" to other poultry plants in their region.
But Dr. Henry said there was some "shared staff" between Superior and United.
"Most of the staff are different and the protocols are different so the investigations are ongoing in both of those facilities," Henry said during her daily press briefing on Thursday.
No product recalls have been announced in association with the outbreaks, as there have not been any reports of coronavirus being transmitted through food or food packaging.
Canadians are reminded to follow proper procedures when handling raw chicken, including washing their hands and cooking meat thoroughly.
Superior Poultry is about twice the size of United Poultry, processing about seven per cent of the province's weekly chicken production, according to the B.C. Chicken Marketing Board.
Staff at the plant on Friday were wearing personal protective equipment, including face shields and masks.
Corporate records list Ronald Pollon and Clifford Pollon as the directors of Coquitlam's Superior Poultry Processors Ltd.
Corporate records also list a Clifford M. Pollon as the director of United Poultry, the source of the first poultry outbreak, as well as Hallmark Farms in Vancouver and JD Sweid Foods in Langley. Messages left for Pollon by phone and email this week have not been returned.
CTV News phoned Superior Poultry Friday but was told nobody was taking calls or emails from the media.
With files from CTV News Vancouver’s David Molko and Andrew Weichel
