120 Migrant Workers Test Positive for COVID-19 at a Farm in Norfolk County

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Monday, 1 June 2020 11:08

Norfolk County Mayor Kristal Chopp has released a statement after 120 migrant workers tested positive for COVID-19 at a farm in Norfolk County.

NORFOLK COUNTY - 120 migrant workers at a farm in Norfolk County have tested positive for COVID-19.

They all work at Scotlynn Group in Vittoria, which grows sweet corn, watermelon, pumpkins and asparagus. The Haldimand Norfolk Health Unit confirmed on Friday that 7 of the workers are in the hospital and 2 are in the ICU. Most of the workers are not displaying symptoms, despite testing positive.

Norfolk County Mayor Kristal Chopp has released a statement on the outbreak, that can read below:

"As everyone knows in Norfolk County we have had a major outbreak on a farm, as I write this tonight there are now more than 120 individuals from the farm that have tested positive for Covid-19.

We have always understood that this was a risk that our community could face and our health unit has been preparing for this possibility. Other communities in Ontario and across the country have also faced similar situations with on-farm outbreaks. Our Health Unit is working hard alongside Scotlynn Farms and the Delhi Community Health Center team to ensure the health and safety of the affected workers and the members of our community as a whole.

As part of the health unit’s actions it was decided out of an abundance of caution to do additional community testing for the employees of a store in the community. This action should not be construed as anything other than our Health Unit undertaking additional testing to provide peace of mind to a limited number of individuals.

There will be more information coming out over the next few days, I ask everyone not to jump to conclusions or look to blame someone. Dr. Nesathurai has since the start of this pandemic been ahead of the curve and he and his team will continue to act with caution to ensure the safety of our community.
Tonight there are a seven people in hospital currently and my prayers are with them and their families. There is also a farmer in our community that is hurting right now. Scott Biddle has since the start of this pandemic did everything that was asked of him, and more, by our Health Unit including quarantining his workers individually in hotels. Unfortunately, even with the best efforts, he is now dealing with a covid-19 outbreak and his operations have been severely impacted. Many of the workers have now been placed individually in isolation in order to clear the virus, so that they may resume operations as quickly as possible.

Until then, in order to save his crop, Scotlynn Farms is putting out a call to the community for help. Specifically, he is looking for people that can put together a team of 5 people to harvest asparagus. He will pay $25 per hour for each member of a team. So I ask that you please consider stepping up during this time of crisis, get a group of 5 friends together, enjoy some days under the sun and make a few dollars for your efforts! If you have a group of 5 able to work, they are looking for approximately 30 teams.

Call 1-800-263-9117 ext. 2225 and speak to Jordan.

I know we can pull together to help each other out. Together we are NORFOLK STRONG."

Meanwhile a farm in St. Thomas, Ontario Plants Propagation, has an outbreak too, with 20 migrant workers testing positive this past week, and they are still waiting on test results for others. (The farm is technically, in Middlesex/London health unit, which is why the numbers haven't increased in the Southwestern Health Unit region)