Hudbay is seeing another spike in COVID-19 cases - and this time, it’s local.
According to a company spokesperson, 16 people have tested positive for COVID-19 at Hudbay’s Manitoba operations during the month of May, the vast majority of whom work in Flin Flon.
“There have been 14 positive COVID-19 cases at our Flin Flon operations and two positive COVID-19 cases at our Snow Lake operations since the beginning of May,” reads a statement from the spokesperson.
“There are also a number of additional individuals in self-isolation. We wish all impacted a quick recovery and are encouraged that some individuals have safely recovered and returned to work.”
The company and spokesperson did not confirm where in the company’s Flin Flon operations the brunt of cases have been found. Exactly when the cases were found or where specifically in the company’s operations they were found is also hazy.
“At this time, public health verified that some of the initial cases have been traced to outbreaks in the community, while some cases appear to be the result of workplace transmission,” said the spokesperson.
“There has been no material impact to our operations as a result of these cases.”
The spokesperson confirmed that due to an increase in cases in the Flin Flon area, the company and Northern Health Region (NHR) held a testing clinic for Hudbay employees May 19, with all surface employees available encouraged to get tested - the spokesperson estimated at least 100 employees were tested. To complement that testing, Hudbay says it has started conducting rapid COVID-19 tests at its Flin Flon health station, located just outside the main gate of the company’s compound.
“Our focus remains on keeping our employees, their families and our local communities safe. We will continue to reinforce our enhanced protocols we have in place to reduce the risk of further spread of COVID-19,” said the Hudbay spokesperson.
Since the pandemic began, at least 44 Hudbay employees in northern Manitoba have tested positive for COVID-19. Hudbay reported its first COVID-19 case in its Manitoba operations in October 2020, when two employees in Snow Lake tested positive for the disease. At the time, Hudbay confirmed that both of those cases were reported in Snow Lake residents. In November, at least one worker in Snow Lake - staying at the company’s Outland camp - and five Flin Flon-area workers tested positive for COVID-19. Another 20 cases were reported in Flin Flon and Snow Lake combined between April 7-30, including several cases in Snow Lake - at one point, so many workers were in isolation that Hudbay’s Stall mill was closed temporarily due to a lack of staff.
