A Baffinland Iron Mines worker who is showing no symptoms of Covid-19 recently tested positive after arriving at the Mary River mine site, the mining company announced Thursday.
photo courtesy of Baffinland Iron Mines
"The affected employee is in isolation and will remain in isolation while we continue to monitor their condition," Baffinland stated in a news release. "Additionally, Baffinland has initiated contact tracing and has isolated those who were in close contact with the affected individual. All employees are doing well and remain asymptomatic."
The company stated that it's working closely with Nunavut Public Health and Public Health Agency of Canada as well as provincial and territorial governments to determine the next course of action.
Due to Baffinland's strict no contact policy with local communities, there's no threat of the virus spreading to surrounding hamlets, the company stated. Mary River is 160 km south of Pond Inlet.
Baffinland has performed more than 9,250 tests of employees and contractors using an on-site portable Covid-19 testing lab.
"All employees are tested upon arrival to site and follow-up testing is also conducted five days after their arrival. This provides an opportunity to capture asymptomatic cases or infections that may have been incubating," the company's press release reads.
Baffinland committed to continue monitoring this latest presumptive case of Covid-19 and to provide updates accordingly.