COVID-19 confirmed at Mondelez plant in west end
out additional, focused deep cleaning and sanitation,” stated Edwards.
The factory, which spans 225,000 square feet, has now been temporarily shut down, putting approximately 350 staff members off the job.
Staff affected by the closure will continue to be paid, she added.
The company did not specify how many employees are selfisolating due to close contact, how many will be tested or which part of the factory the four infected employees worked in.
In the two months prior to the outbreak, Edwards said the company has “invested heavily” in “enhanced health and safety measures” to protect staff from catching COVID-19.
As of Monday, the respiratory virus had infected at least 451 people and killed 21 in the city.
Edwards said the company had set up the four-level factory so “employees can easily practice ‘physical distancing’ at two metres apart or provided fixed, physical barriers to separate colleagues.”
They have also increased the cleaning of high-contact points and have provided mandatory masks to staff and visitors to the factory.
Those entering the facility — which makes Maynards and Sour Patch Kids — “must also pass health and temperature screening by a health-care professional in order to enter,” said Edwards.
The company did not respond to questions on when the factory would reopen, but pointed to the federal health agency on the question of any product being destroyed due to the outbreak. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, “there is currently no evidence to suggest that food is a likely source or route of transmission of the virus and there are currently no reported cases of COVID-19 transmission through food.”