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Newmont employee in Timmins tests positive for COVID-19

Gold miner undergoing deep cleaning at Hoyle Pond
Maija Hoggett
Maija Hoggett
Newmont Porcupine operations
(Porcupine operations, Newmont Gold photo)

An employee at Hoyle Pond Mine has tested positive for COVID-19, according to Newmont Porcupine general manager Patrick Chabot.

In a letter, Chabot said the company learned the Hoyle Pond Mine team member tested positive Nov. 8. The person was last on site Nov. 5.

Today, the Porcupine Health Unit confirmed the 101st COVID-19 case in the region. The person is a close contact of a confirmed case and in self-isolation.

"As an immediate response to protect the health and safety of our workforce, we have notified all employees and in collaboration with public health authorities, we are conducting contact tracing efforts to communicate to other team members who may have come in contact with the individual while at site," wrote Chabot.

Operations at Borden mine in Chapleau, the Hollinger Open Pit, and Dome processing site in Timmins are not affected.

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"We are also conducting deep cleaning and sanitizing of the affected work areas at the Hoyle Pond  Mine, including disinfectant fogging. These actions are in addition to the safety measures already implemented at the site following global and provincial health guidance to protect our workforce and nearby communities including strict social distancing protocols, mandatory masks indoors, screening at all entry points to site, frequent cleaning of surfaces and restricted entrance to site limited to critical visits," he said.

The first mine site in Timmins to be affected by the virus is Glencore Kidd. An outbreak was reported there in September. It has since been declared over. 

In Matachewan, there is currently an outbreak of the virus at Alamos Gold's Young-Davidson Mine. The Timiskaming Health Unit has reported five cases related to it so far. 

In the Timmins area, of the 101 cases confirmed by the Porcupine Health Unit, 88 people are recovered and nine people have died. There are four known active cases — two in Timmins, one in the Hearst, Horneypayne area, and one outside the region.

- TimminsToday