VANCOUVER -- An outbreak of COVID-19 has been declared at a blueberry packing facility in Abbotsford, health officials announced Monday.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said 15 cases of the virus have now been linked to Fraser Valley Packers Inc.
All 15 cases are employees at the plant, Fraser Health said in a public health bulletin.
Contact tracing is ongoing, and all employees are being screened, according to the health authority.
Anyone who has tested positive and their close contacts have been told to self-isolate.
The investigation into the outbreak started on Thursday, and teams from Fraser Health are working with the plant doing ongoing testing of the workers, Henry said.
Fraser Health says the facility is operating at a reduced capacity, and it has been inspected by the health authority.
"We are continuing to work with the facility to strengthen their COVID-19 mitigation strategies," Fraser Health said in a statement.
The latest community outbreak was announced during a briefing from B.C. health officials, where they announced 81 more cases of the virus had been recorded in the province since Friday.
Henry also announced there are 14 cases now linked to the outbreak on Haida Gwaii that was announced on Friday.
There continue to be three ongoing outbreaks in health-care facilities, including one in long-term care and two in acute care.
