Surrey/Abbotsford– Fraser Health Public Health has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at Rossdown Natural Foods Ltd., a poultry processing plant located at 2325 Bradner Rd., Abbotsford.
Nine staff have tested positive for COVID-19. Public Health has determined it is not necessary to issue a closure order at this time. It will continue to monitor for additional cases, and case and contact management is ongoing. Those identified as cases and close contacts have been instructed to self-isolate.
According to Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), there is no evidence to suggest that food is a likely source or route of transmission for the virus. At this time, there have been no reported cases of food or food packaging being associated with the transmission of COVID-19. Therefore, no recall of chicken products distributed from this plant is required. All Canadians should continue to follow good hygiene practices during food handling and preparation, such as:
· Washing hands with soap and water
· Regularly cleaning and disinfecting surfaces
· Cooking meat thoroughly
· Avoiding potential cross-contamination between cooked and uncooked foods
The CFIA delivers ongoing inspections on-site to verify the operator’s compliance with the Safe Food for Canadians Act and Regulations. The CFIA also requires that establishments have COVID-19 prevention documentation which clearly articulate mitigation measures and their response to a suspected and confirmed case of COVID-19 to support public health requirements and guidance.
For more information about COVID-19, please visit fraserhealth.ca/covid19.
