York Region Public Health investigates Vaughan farm after 29 COVID-19 cases

Thestar.com
July 7, 2020
Dina Al-Shibeeb

York Region Public Health said Friday that it’s currently investigating a COVID-19 outbreak at Ravine Mushroom Farm in Vaughan where 24 out of the total 29 cases are from York.

So far, the risk to the general public is considered low by York Region Public Health.

“YRPH conducted risk assessments on the activities of these individuals while at work and determined the risk of COVID-19 transmission to the general public is low,” it said.

The health agency was first notified of the first confirmed case on June 27 and it’s “following up with the close contacts of these COVID-19 confirmed cases.”

Public Health has also “conducted a followup inspection of the facility reviewing,” and are “reinforcing infection prevention and control measures, physical distancing of employees and reaffirming the importance of employees not working while ill.”

During his video update last week, York Region medical officer of health Dr. Karim Kurji described how inspectors “have been going farm to farm” to make sure the “living conditions are fine in order to prevent any large-scale outbreaks in York Region in the farming community.”

In mid-June, York Region reported its first positive migrant farmer case at a farm in King, which as a municipality had a total of 44 COVID-19 cases as of Friday.

In Vaughan, there are 1,341 COVID-19 cases as of Friday with 37 per cent being acquired via close contact, 28 per cent via institutional outbreak and 22 per cent via local transmission.

In total, there are 3,040 confirmed cases in York Region with 34 per cent being acquired through closed contact, 32 per cent institutional outbreak and 21 per cent local transmission.