2nd Site C worker tests positive for COVID-19, BC Hydro says

Aworker at the Site C work camp in northeastern B.C.has tested positive for COVID-19, the second case detectedto date on the site, according to BC Hydro.

The employee worked at the hydroelectric dam constructionsite during the week of Sept.7 and stayed in the work camp, the utilitycompany said in a release Wednesday.

When returning home from the site this past weekend, the worker learned that, before travelling there, theyhad been exposed to someone who later tested positive for COVID-19.

The worker developed symptoms and was testedon Sept. 15. The company said the worker is currently isolated and recovering at home in the Lower Mainland.

BC Hydro said the worker wore a mask and followed physical distancing while at the site and in the lodge.

"Given the precautions taken by the worker while at site, there was a low risk of transmission," the company wrote.

The worker did not the leave the camp or interact with anyone in the local community, including Fort St. John, B.C.,the city closest to the camp.

Calls to shut down

Another Site Cworker tested positive in July, forcing several others to isolate.

BC Hydro, which ownsthe $10-billion project, has faced callsto shut down the site.The camp houses nearly 1,000 workers building a third hydroelectric dam on the Peace River, including hundreds flownin from other provinces.

The B.C. government has said the ongoing construction of the dam is an essential service.

BC Hydropreviously said it has implemented several safety measures at the site, including scaling back on construction, restricting non-essential travel for workers and consultants, and postponing non-essential site tours.

The company said Wednesday it continues to work withNorthern Health Authority and is strictly following all provincial and federal health guidelines.