IAMGOLD has shut down its Toronto office after an employee tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19).
The gold miner said in a March 14 news release that the employee had attended the Northern Ontario Night at Steam Whistle Brewing, along with two private company events during the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention.
Northern Ontario Night is an annual initiative of the Northern Ontario Mining Showcase, which hosts roughly 1,200 people at the brewery for an evening of Northern Ontario food, music, and networking.
IAMGOLD said the affected employee did not attend the conference itself or other events.
“The individual is in self-quarantine at home, and in stable condition with moderate symptoms,” the release said.
“Attendees at the company events have been notified.”
The company said it would conduct a deep clean and disinfection of its Toronto office, and employees have been directed to work from home until March 20. At that point, the company said, it would reassess the situation.
IAMGOLD is a mid-tier mining company with four operational gold mines in North America, South America and West Africa.
In January 2019, the company announced it was putting a hold on its $1-billion Côté Gold exploration project, located near Gogama about halfway between Timmins and Sudbury, pending improved market conditions.
