Fedex facility in Vaughan at centre of long-standing outbreak

A FedEx truck leaves a distribution facility to make deliveries on Thursday, Dec. 13, 2007 in New York. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

Barrie, ONT. — York Region Public Health sent out a public notice on Wednesday to warn residents about a long-standing COVID-19 outbreak at the FedEx facility in Vaughan.

On Nov. 18, 2020, the health unit was made aware of 15 suspected cases of employees with the virus. Since then, the total cases has grown to 54 people, all linked to the shipping company's operations in York Region.

Breaking it down by region, where each person affected lives, shows how far reaching the outbreak was within the province. There were 29 cases in Peel Region, 13 in the Toronto area, 10 in York Region and two from Wellington-Dufferin Guelph.

Half of those cases were from Dec.12, 2020, or before and most have since recovered.

York Region Public Health says that they are closely monitoring the situation at Fedex and that the threat to the public is relatively low at this time.

Patrick Casey, York Region Public Health's Director of Corporate Communications is using this as an opportunity to highlight the importance of providing a complete contact history to officials to assist with contact tracing efforts.

"This is crucial to the prevention and control of this infection. Close contact continues to be the largest factor in the spread of the COVID-19 virus in York Region. Providing Public Health with a history of all contacts and contact information if you test positive for COVID-19 helps us with contract tracing, our most effective tool to slow the spread of the virus and interrupt further transmission," Casey explains.

As this outbreak has affected so many communities, Casey believes it is even more important to be honest.

"It’s extremely important to be honest about your recent actions and interactions. Please work with us to support our contract tracing efforts; we are working hard to slow the spread of COVID-19 and keep you, your family and our communities safe."

York Region Public Health advises that everyone should work together to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by following health advice like washing hands often, physically distancing, using a mask and staying home when feeling ill.