Baffinland Iron Mines’ multi-layered safety measures prove effective in early detection and containment of presumptive COVID-19 case at its Mary River Project
MARY RIVER, NUNAVUT, July 2, 2020 – To further increase the level of protection and our ability to respond effectively against COVID-19, Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation (“Baffinland” or the “Company”) has been utilizing an on-site, portable COVID-19 testing lab since April 25, 2020. Working with our service providers, Baffinland’s mobile testing lab has enabled us to perform over 3,600 tests to date on employees and contractors who work at the Mary River Project. All employees are tested upon arrival to site and must present negative prior to proceeding to work. Follow-up testing is also conducted on all employees five days after arrival to site. This provides an opportunity to capture asymptomatic employees or infections that may have been incubating. It was during this residual testing that we detected the presumptive case which triggered immediate containment of the affected employee and the initiation of our Pandemic Response Plan. This lab was an additional safety measure to all of the health and safety protocols and controls Baffinland has in place, including, but not limited to:
- Sending our Nunavummiut and high-risk employees home at the onset of the pandemic;
- Changing the fly-in, fly-out schedule to 28-days on and 28-days off to minimize the risk of an infected person coming to site, reducing the exposure to the virus and allowing employees to self isolate prior to travelling to site;
- Creating a quarantine zone on site should anyone exhibit any symptoms; and
- Increasing hygiene protocols, mask usage and social distancing measures at our facilities including camp accommodations, cafeterias and charter terminals.
The affected employee will remain in isolation while we continue to monitor his condition. Additionally, Baffinland initiated contact tracing and has isolated all employees who were in close contact with the affected individual. All employees in isolation are doing well and remain asymptomatic.
Based on several rounds of consultations with medical authorities, the test results are considered to be at the very low end of the spectrum and the employee who has tested positive is very unlikely to have been contagious.
Baffinland has a robust Pandemic Response Plan in place that includes an infectious disease component. We adjust our approach by reassessing and adopting mitigation measures as new information becomes available and as the situation develops.
We are working closely with Nunavut Public Health, Chief Medical Officer, Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), provincial and territorial governments and global business continuity experts.
We will continue to monitor this case and will provide updates accordingly.
For any media inquiries:
Salima Virani
Interim Communications Lead
Baffinland Iron Mines
T: (365) 292-3848
salima.virani@baffinland.com
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About Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation
Jointly owned by Nunavut Iron Ore and ArcelorMittal, Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation operates a high-grade iron ore mine located on Baffin Island, Nunavut. Our mine produces the highest grade of direct shipping iron ore in the world. Baffinland has applied for permits to increase annual shipments. Baffinland is committed to operating the Mary River Mine in an environmentally and socially responsible manner that benefits all stakeholders. Learn more at baffinland.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
ᒫᓐᓇᑲᐅᑎᒋ ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴᖅ
ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᓴᕕᕋᔭᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖓᑕ ᖄᒌᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᐊᑦᑕᕐᓇᖅᑕᐃᓕᒪᓇᓱᖕᓂᖏᑦ ᐊᑑᑎᖅᒃᐳᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓵᓕᔾᔪᑎᒋᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᐃᑦᑐᕐᓗᐃᓇᑎᒡᓗ ᑯᕕᑦ-19ᒧᑦ ᓄᕙᒐᓱᒋᔭᐅᔪᒧᑦ ᓄᓘᔮᖕᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᔭᒥᓂ
ᓅᔮᒃ, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᔪᓚᐃ 2, 2020 – ᓴᐳᑎᒃᑲᓐᓂᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᕗᓪᓗ ᖃᓄᐃᒋᐊᕈᓐᓇᕐᓂᕗᑦ ᑯᕕᑦ-19ᒧᑦ. ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐ ᑯ ᑦ ᓴᕕᕋᔭᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖏᑕ ᑯᐊᐳᕇᓴᖓᑦ (ᐹᕙᓐᓚᓐ ᑲᒻᐸᓂᓘᓐᓃᑦ) ᐊᑐᖃᑦᑕᕐᒪᑕ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ, ᓇᒃᓴᒐᕐᒥᒃ ᑯᕕᑦ-19ᒧᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᐅᑎᒥᒃ ᐊᐃᕐᕆᓕ 25ᒻ 2020ᒥᑦ. ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒋᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐱᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᑦ, ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᓇᒃᓴᒐᒃᓴᖓ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᐅᑎᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕈᓐᓇᖅᑎᑉᐹᑎᒍᑦ 3,600 ᖏᖅᓱᖅᖢᑕ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᑳᓐᑐᕌᒃᑎᓄᓪᓗ ᐅᓪᓗᒥᒧᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᔪᓄᑦ ᓄᓘᔮᖕᓂ. ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᓕᒫᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᓲᖑᕗᑦ ᑎᑭᑦᑕᕌᖓᒥᒃ ᓄᕙᒋᐊᖃᕋᑎᒡᓗ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᓚᐅᕐᓂᕐᒥᓂᒃ. ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᒃᑲᓐᓂᓲᖑᒋᕗᑦ ᑕᓪᓕᒪᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᑦ ᐊᓂᒍᕌᖓᑕ ᑎᑭᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᖃᐅᔨᓇᕐᒪᑦ ᓄᕙᖅᑰᔨᖏᑦᑑᒐᓗᐊᓂᒃ ᐊᐃᑦᑐᕐᓗᖕᓂᕐᓂᒡᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐱᕈᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᔪᕕᓂᕐᓂᒃ. ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑎᓪᓗᑕ ᓄᕙᒐᓱᒋᔭᐅᔪᒥᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᓚᐅᖅᐳᒍᑦ ᐃᓄᑑᑎᑕᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎ ᐊᐅᓚᔾᔭᒍᑎᒋᔭᐅᓪᓗᓂᓗ ᓄᕙᕐᔪᐊᕐᒧᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕆᐊᕈᑎᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐸᕐᓇᐅᑎᒥᒃ. ᑖᓐᓇ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᕕᒃ ᓱᓕᒃᑲᓐᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᑦᑕᕐᓇᖅᑕᐃᓕᒪᔾᔪᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᖃᓄᐃᖏᓐᓂᕐᓄᑦ ᐊᑦᑕᕐᓇᖏᑦᑐᒦᓐᓂᕐᓄᓪᓗ ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᓯᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᔾᔪᑎᓄᓪᓗ ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᓐᓂᑦ ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓯᒪᔭᖏᓐᓂ, ᐱᖃᓯᐅᖦᖢᒋᑦ ᑕᕝᕙᑐᐊᖑᓇᑎᒡᓗ:
- ᓄᓇᕘᒥᐅᑦ ᐅᓗᕆᐊᓇᓛᒦᑦᑐᓪᓗ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᕗᑦ ᐊᖏᕐᕋᖅᑎᖦᖢᒋᑦ ᓄᕙᒡᔪᐊᕐᓕᕐᒪᑕ;
- ᐊᓯᔾᔨᖅᖢᒍ ᑎᑭᓪᓗᓂ, ᐊᐅᓪᓚᕐᓗᓂ 28 ᐅᓪᓗᓄᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕐᓗᑎᒃ 28 ᐅᓪᓗᓄᑦ ᓄᖅᑲᖓᓗᑎᒃ ᓄᕙᕐᔪᐊᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᑎᑭᑎᑦᑎᖁᓇᑕ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒧᑦ, ᐊᐃᑦᑐᕐᓗᔾᔪᐃᖅᖢᒍ ᓄᕙᖕᓇᕐᔪᐊᖅ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᓂᒡᓗ ᐃᒻᒥᓄᑦ ᐃᓄᑑᑎᖦᖢᒋᑦ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒧᐊᓚᐅᙱᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ;
- ᐅᐸᒃᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᖏᑦᑐᓕᐅᖅᖢᑕ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᑭᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᓄᕙᒃᑯᓂ; ᐊᒻᒪᓗ
- ᐅᐊᓴᕐᓂᖅᓴᐅᓕᖅᖢᑎᒃ, ᒪᑐᐊᖅᓯᒪᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐅᖓᓯᒌᒃᖢᑎᒡᓗ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐱᖃᓯᐅᖦᖢᒋᑦ ᓯᓂᒃᑕᕐᕖᑦ, ᓂᕆᕝᕖᑦ ᖃᖓᑕᓲᒃᑯᕕᒡᓗ.
ᐊᒃᑐᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎ ᐃᓄᑑᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᖃᓄᐃᒻᒪᖔᑦ. ᓱᓕᒃᑲᓐᓂᖅ, ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᓕᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᐅᐸᖃᑦᑕᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᑑᑎᓕᖅᖢᒋᓪᓗ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᓕᒫᑦ ᖃᓂᒋᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᑦ. ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᓕᒫᑦ ᐃᓄᑑᑎᑕᐅᔪᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᖏᑉᐳᑦ ᓄᕙᓕᕋᑎᒡᓗ.
ᒪᓕᖢᒋᑦ ᖃᔅᓯᑲᓪᓚᑦ ᑐᓴᕋᓱᖕᓃᑦ ᐃᓅᓴᐃᓕᕆᔨᓂᒃ, ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᓗᕆᐊᓇᖏᑦᑐᒦᓛᖑᓇᓱᒋᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᓗ ᓄᕙᒐᓱᒋᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᐊᐃᑦᑐᕐᓗᐃᓚᐅᕋᓱᒋᔭᐅᖏᑦᑐᖅ.
ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᓄᕙᕐᔪᐊᕐᒧᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕆᐊᕈᑎᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐸᕐᓇᐅᑎᑦᑎᐊᕙᖃᖅᐳᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᐱᖃᓯᐅᔾᔨᓪᓗᓂ ᐊᐃᑦᑐᕐᓗᖕᓂᕐᓄᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥᒃ. ᐋᖅᑭᒋᐊᖃᑦᑕᖅᐸᕗᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᓯᕗᑦ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᒃᑲᓐᓂᖅᖢᑕ ᐊᑐᓕᖅᑎᑦᑎᓗᑕᓗ ᐊᐃᑦᑐᕐᓗᐃᔾᔭᐃᒃᑯᑎᓂᒃ ᑐᓴᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓪᓗᑕ ᓄᑖᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᓕᕌᖓᑕ ᓄᕙᖕᓂᕐᓗ ᑲᔪᓯᑎᓪᓗᒍ.
ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒋᑦᑎᐊᖅᐸᕗᑦ ᓄᓇᕘᒥ ᐃᓄᓕᒫᓄᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᖏᑦᑐᓕᕆᔩᑦ, ᐃᓅᓴᐃᓕᕆᔨᓪᓗᐊᑕᖓ, ᐃᓄᓕᒫᓄᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᑦᑕᐃᓕᒪᓂᓕᕆᔩᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ, ᐊᕕᒃᓯᒪᔪᓄᓪᓗ ᒐᕙᒪᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᒥᓗ ᐱᓯᓇᓯᓄᑦ ᑲᔪᓯᑎᑦᑎᓕᕆᔨᓂᒃ.
ᑖᓐᓇ ᓇᐅᑦᑎᖅᓱᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᖅᐸᕗᑦ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᑎᑦᑎᓗᑕᓗ ᑕᐃᒪᑦᑕᕆᐊᖃᕌᖓᒥ.
ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᓕᕆᔨᓄᑦ ᑐᓴᕈᒪᔪᓄᑦ:
Interim Communications Lead
Baffinland Iron Mines
T: (365) 292-3848
salima.virani@baffinland.com
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ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐ ᑯ ᑦ ᓴᕕᕋᔭᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖏᑕ ᑯᐊᐳᕇᓴᖓᑦ
ᑲᑐᔾᔭᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᕆᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᓄᓇᕘᒥ ᓴᕕᕋᔭᒃᓴᓄᑦ ᐊᓱᓗᒥᑖᓪᑯᓐᓂᑦ, ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐ ᑯ ᑦ ᓴᕕᕋᔭᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖏᑕ ᑯᐊᐳᕇᓴᖓᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᕗᑦ ᓴᕕᕋᔭᒃᓴᑦᑎᐊᕚᓗᖕᓄᑦ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥᒃ ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᒃ, ᓄᓇᕘᒥ. ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᕗᑦ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᖃᑦᑕᖅᐳᖅ ᐱᐅᓛᒥᒃ ᐊᐅᓪᓚᐅᔾᔭᐅᑲᐅᑎᒋᔪᒥᒃ ᓴᕕᕋᔭᒃᓴᒥᒃ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥ. ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᒃᓯᒪᕗᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑎᓂᒃ ᐅᓄᖅᓯᒋᐊᕈᒪᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑕᒫᑦ ᐊᐅᓪᓚᐅᓂᓂᕐᒥᓂᒃ. ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᐊᖏᖅᓯᒪᕗᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑐᒪᓪᓗᒍ ᓄᓘᔮᖕᓂ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃ ᐊᕙᑎᑎᒍᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᑎᒍᓪᓗ ᐱᓕᕆᕆᐊᒃᓴᕆᔭᒥᑎᑐᑦ ᐱᕚᓪᓕᕈᑕᐅᓗᓂ ᑎᒍᒥᐊᖃᑕᐅᔪᓕᒫᑦ. ᐃᓕᒃᑲᓐᓂᕆᑦ ᐅᕙᓂ baffinland.com ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒪᓕᒃᑎᒍᑦ Twitter, Facebook LinkedIn.