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3 contract workers test positive for COVID-19 at Wells mine

Workers at Barkerville Gold Mines are in quarantine, stayed at Jack of Clubs
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The lab at Barkerville Gold Mine has processed thousands of tests since getting up and running in October of 2020. (Submitted Photo)

Some workers at Barkerville Gold Mines (BGM) are in quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19 at the beginning of their rotation.

An update posted by BGM Ltd. general manager Paul Ratte to the company’s Facebook page on Sept. 6 noted the workers stayed at Jack O’ Clubs in Wells before testing positive.

The employees are presumed positive until a second test confirms the workers have the virus.

“The owner of Jack O’ Clubs General, Eric Andersen, has taken steps to quarantine their other employees and has approached BGM to provide testing which we have done,” Ratte noted.

All workers coming on-site to BGM are tested before beginning work. After receiving a positive test, the workers and their close contacts are put into quarantine, and Northern Health is notified.

READ MORE: Wells gold mine COVID-19 testing a success so far

“BGM is working with its medical director and is following their guidance to manage the presumed positive cases and their direct contacts,” Ratte writes. “BGM and our medical director will remain in communication with Northern Health and will follow their recommendations.”

According to Ratte, one of the workers has fatigue and aches, and the other two are asymptomatic.

The mine has detected COVID-19 cases before, but has not detected spread within their facility or the community through the pandemic.

READ MORE: Two contract employees at Wells mine site test positive for COVID-19

Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: cassidy.dankochik@quesnelobserver.com


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