Fraser Health is warning Earls Port Coquitlam patrons about possible exposure to COVID-19.
Three employees of an Earls restaurant located on Shaughnessy Street have tested positive for the virus.
The restaurant closed Monday and Tuesday for disinfecting, and was scheduled to reopen on Wednesday.
Fraser Health said restaurant patrons may have been exposed to the virus at the following times:
July 15 between 3:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., July 16 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. and July 17 between 9 a.m. and noon.
“This virus is spread between people by droplets. This means you need to be close enough to be exposed to saliva or mucus from the mouth, nose, or throat of the infected person,” said a Fraser Health press release. “We are being extra careful to let people know because, while small, there is a chance you could have been exposed to the virus.”
The health authority asks if you were at Earls Port Coquitlam on the above dates and times, please assess yourself until July 31, (14 days after the last exposure on the dates listed above). Monitor your health for the following signs of COVID-19, whether new or worsening signs: cough, fever, muscle aches, fatigue, sore throat, nausea/vomiting, headache, loss of appetite, chills, runny nose or nasal congestion, loss of sense of smell or taste, and diarrhea. To help you monitor your health, use the BC Self-Assessment Tool (bc.thrive.health).
“We can confirm that three members of our team at Earls Port Coquitlam have tested positive for COVID-19 and are now self-isolating at home,” said a statement from Earls. “All staff members were temperature checked upon arrival at the restaurant, did not show symptoms, and were wearing the appropriate PPE (personal protective equipment).
“We have been working closely with Fraser Health Authority and they have advised us that it is safe to remain open and that the risk to the public is low. However, out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to temporarily close our doors to allow for a complete deep sanitation of the property.”
In addition to monitoring their health, Fraser Health asks patrons of Earls Port Coquitlam on the above dates to do the following:
• Stay away from crowded public spaces and places where you cannot easily separate yourself from others.
If you become ill or already have any of these signs of illness:
• Isolate yourself from others as quickly as possible for 10 days starting from when you first felt sick.
• Get tested for COVID-19.
• Contact 8-1-1 or your doctor to find out how and where to be tested for COVID-19
• Call Public Health at
If you do not have any signs of illness, you do not need to isolate yourself, see a doctor, or be tested for COVID-19. Continue to monitor your health.
The news followed a surge in cases in B.C., which saw 102 new cases over Friday, Saturday and Sunday. That led Dr. Bonnie Henry to warn the province is at risk of “explosive growth” in cases.
READ ALSO: B.C. records 102 new COVID-19 cases, no new deaths since Friday
The three infected employees did not work shifts at other restaurants.
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ncorbett@mapleridgenews.com
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