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B.C.’s top doctor says COVID-19 cases at unidentified fast food restaurant a ‘wake up call’

Dr. Bonnie Henry says she won’t name the restaurant
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B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry speaks on pandemic response at the B.C. legislature, May 6, 2020. (B.C. government)

The province has revealed four to five employees transmitted COVID-19 between them at an unnamed fast food restaurant in B.C.

Dr. Bonnie Henry said “an assessment was done” when the outbreak was discovered by public health and those at risk were notified. She noted there have been “no known outbreaks” associated with food products.

“I’m not aware there were customers who were exposed in that situation,” Henry said during a Tuesday (June 16) press conference.

“I’m not going to say the name of the restaurant. It’s a small one.”

Henry said that instead of focusing on the specific location, the situation should serve as a “wake-up call” for every workplace in B.C.

“The situation is similar to what we’ve seen in other places where somebody doesn’t recognize that they have symptoms and they may not have the appropriate systems or barriers in the workplace,” she said.

“We saw it in the poultry plants, we’ve seen it in a number of other workplaces… if we catch it early we can contain it very quickly.”

The province recorded 11 new cases, one of which was epi-linked, on Tuesday. In total, B.C. has had 2,756 test positive cased, with 168 deaths and 2,416 recovered. There are currently 172 active cases of COVID-19.

READ MORE: B.C. prepares for spas, resorts, recreational sports to open amid COVID-19


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