Molson, CIBC among workplaces with active COVID-19 outbreaks in Toronto

Toronto Public Health has updated its list of workplaces facing COVID-19 outbreaks in the city to include several large employers.

Among the data posted on February 11 are a CIBC Business Contact Centre, Maple Leaf Foods, and Molson Coors Brewing Company.

The workplaces have reported outbreaks of 12, 25, and four cases, respectively, according to Toronto’s COVID-19 Monitoring Dashboard.

As well, 18 people are affected by an outbreak at DECIEM.

The beauty company was previously listed as a workplace with a COVID-19 outbreak that posed a “significant public health risk.”

The largest workplace outbreak in the city has been reported at Belmont Meats, and includes 94 cases.

Health officials have said the outbreak may be linked to the UK variant of the virus.

City of Toronto

“When it comes to workplace outbreaks, by informing the public, we can help to inform behaviour,” said Councillor Joe Cressy, the Chair of the Toronto Board of Health, in a release.

“By drawing attention to workplace outbreaks we can help to ensure employers and governments are doing everything possible to keep workers and workplaces safe.”

Since January 4, Toronto Public Health has been publicly posting the names of workplaces with more than 20 employees that are facing active COVID-19 outbreaks.

The 20-person cutoff is intended to protect the personal health information and identity of people in small workplaces, the city said.

Toronto Public Health declares a COVID-19 outbreak in a workplace when there have been two or more lab-confirmed cases of the virus with an epidemiological link within a 14-day period.

The link could be that infected individuals work in the same area or in the same shift, or that there is no confirmed source of infection outside of the workplace.

The list of workplace outbreaks is updated every Thursday, and it includes the name of the workplace, the number of COVID-19 cases, and the date the outbreak was declared.

Workplaces will be removed from the list as outbreaks are declared over.

“This information will provide everyone with a better picture of COVID-19 in our community and it will encourage everyone to take steps to protect themselves,” Mayor John Tory said.

“I continue to urge all employers to make sure they take all steps possible and follow all public health measures to help protect their employees.”