Detour Lake gold mine worker tests positive for COVID-19, company says

A worker at the Detour Lake gold mine has tested positive for COVID-19.

Kirkland Lake Gold said in a press release they were informed of the test results Friday, March 27.

On March 12, the worker arrived symptom-free at the site, approximately 180 kilometres northeast of Cochrane. He self isolated two days later after showing symptoms, the company said.

By March 16the worker was taken from the camp and received a positive result on Thursday, March 26. He told the company on March 27.

The company said that all protocols were followed while the worker was on site, and employees were all notified of the test results, and instructed to self-monitor in the 14 days following the worker's departure from the site.

On March 22, the company announced it was reducing the number of people at the site, as well as suspending all "non-essential operations" until April 20. The site can accommodate over 1,000 employees.

According to Kirkland Lake Gold, the Porcupine Health Unit has already spoken to people in close contact with the infected worker.

Officials from the Porcupine Health Unit also visited the site, the company said, to review their health and safety protocols related to the virus

The company saidit is not aware of any workers at Detour Lake Mine, or at any of its other operations or offices, who are showing symptoms or are in self-isolation at site.