Article content

Vancouver Coastal Health has declared an outbreak at a Vancouver chicken processing plant where 28 employees have tested positive for COVID-19.

The VCH says it first became aware of a potential outbreak at United Poultry Company Ltd. at 534 East Cordova St. on Sunday after receiving a positive lab test from a plant employee.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or COVID-19: 28 employees test positive at Vancouver chicken processing plant Back to video

The health authority attended the processing plant on Monday and tested the 71 workers who were present, resulting in 27 additional positive cases of COVID-19.

The VCH closed the plant the same day. It’s not known when it will reopen.

There has been no recall of chicken products distributed from the plant, because according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, there is no evidence to suggest that food is a likely source or route of transmission for the virus.

Bill Vanderspek, executive director of the B.C. Chicken Marketing Board, does not expect the plant’s closure will lead to supply issues and poultry shortages at B.C. grocery stores.

“The company that owns the United has a number of other processing plants and they’re going to divert the product there. From what I understand, that particular plant does less than four per cent of British Columbia production,” said Vanderspek, who noted that approximately two million birds a week are processed in British Columbia.

“The product will be picked up and shifted to other plants in the Vancouver area. So, that will not cause a problem for shortages in the stores.”

MORE TO COME …