2 city workers in parks, forestry and recreation test positive for COVID-19

1 had contact with part-time worker at CampTO program at Ellesmere Community Centre

CBC.ca
July 15, 2020

Two city parks, forestry and recreation workers have tested positive for COVID-19, the city said on Tuesday night.

The workers were exposed to the virus between July 6 and 10 and the exposure did not occur in their workplaces, the city said in a news release. The city said it was made aware of the positive tests on Tuesday afternoon.

One worker had "brief contact" with a part-time worker at the Ellesmere Community Centre CampTO program, but the program will not have to close, the city said. There are 11 children at this camp.

The other worker is employed in sanitation for the parks, forestry and recreation division and does not have contact with children or families at CampTO, the city added.

"No children taking part in CampTO programs, which began yesterday, July 13, have been directly exposed to the employees who have tested positive," the city said.

"The city, however, is in the process now of advising families, employees, the union, and the public and of these cases as a matter of public transparency."

According to Toronto Public Health (TPH), the risk of contracting COVID-19 for children and families at the CampTO program is very low.

Public health officials have told both workers to go into isolation for 14 days. Through contact tracing, the city has found that 23 other employees have been in contact with the two workers.

None of the employees, however, have been in contact with children or families at the centre or any other city program. Everyone who has had contact with the workers has been told to get tested and to go into isolation for 14 days.

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The city said all CampTO programs meet health guidelines that are designed with the help of TPH and are in keeping with provincial health guidelines for day camps.

These guidelines include: enhanced ratio of staff to campers, reduced group sizes, use of masks indoors, physical distancing, mandatory health screening and enhanced facility cleaning.

According to the city, each camp group stays together for the entire week, and members do not interact with other campers. Caregivers received a phone call before the camps start to review procedures and do a pre-camp health check.