Skip to content

Newmont Porcupine worker a confirmed COVID-19 case

The employee was last on site Dec. 2, and the case was identified Dec. 4
2019-10-23 Hollinger Lookout4 MH
Newmont Porcupine's Hollinger Open Pit in Timmins (Maija Hoggett/TimminsToday)

A recent COVID-19 case in Timmins is a worker at Newmont's Porcupine operations.

According to the company, the confirmed case was identified Friday, Dec. 4. That day in the Porcupine Health Unit area, three new cases were reported – all in Timmins.

The employee was last on site the afternoon of Wednesday, Dec. 2.

"The positive case does not affect the operations at our sites, and everyone must continue to work safely and productively," reads an update from Patrick Chabot, Newmont Porcupine's general manager.

He said the people listed through contact tracing have been contacted by the health unit. 

"In addition to conducting deep cleaning and sanitizing of the affected work areas, including disinfectant fogging, we decided to perform additional cleaning at the receiving area of the Dome Warehouse on Dec. 7," Chabot said.

"This decision was a precautionary step and not as a requirement under our COVID Management Plan. Access to the area was restricted with barricades while the work was completed. The area has since been safely reopened."

Want to read more stories about business in the North? Subscribe to our newsletter.

This is the second time Newmont Porcupine has reported a team member's tested positive for the virus.

In November, a Hoyle Pond Mine team member was a confirmed case.

To date in the Porcupine Health Unit area there have been 116 confirmed cases. 

Of those, 99 are recovered and nine people have died. There are eight known active cases. The last confirmed cases were reported Dec. 4. A probable case was also reported Sunday, Dec. 6.

– TimminsToday