The Canadian Brewhouse employee in Saskatoon whose COVID-19 infection prompted a Saskatchewan health alert Thursday did not contract the virus in the workplace, a company official says.
"[The Saskatchewan Health Authority] is conducting their investigation and through that process we've been able to link that to an outside source," said Peter VanGurp, the restaurant chain's chief operating officer,
The health authority issued a public health alert asking customers who visited the restaurant on July 1 to 3 to self-monitor for symptoms of the virus.
"This public health alert is being issued as a precaution," the SHA said. "In general, businesses in the province have been compliant with public health measures. However, we know that COVID-19 is easily transmitted and want to ensure residents are aware if they have been at the restaurant during the listed times."
VanGurp said several other of the approximately 64 people working at the Stonebridge location at the time were also tested, and that all came back negative and are asymptomatic.
He pointed to several measures the company has taken to protect against the spread of COVID-19: masked servers, plexiglass partitions, arrows on the floor, keeping tables clear of all items and using QR codes on TV screens so that customers with smartphones can avoid using physical menus.
"We know that we haven't done anything wrong with regards to how we're operating our business and we're going to continue to be diligent with proper sanitation practices and protocols for our staff safety and for our guests' safety," VanGurp said.
Restaurant cleared to remain open
VanGurp said the SHA's investigation began Monday and that he could not specify when the employee became symptomatic or when they were tested, citing privacy concerns.
"What I can tell you [is], as soon as we were notified, as soon as the team member was notified, they self-isolated," VanGurp said.
The restaurant also asked its cleaning contractor to increase disinfection efforts "and do a deep overnight clean and sanitation," he said.
The restaurant has been cleared by health inspectors to remain open, VanGurp said.
CBC News has reached out to the health authority for more information about the infected employee.
