National Steel Car ordered to stay closed for 10 days, outbreak increases to 34 cases

Hamilton public health has ordered National Steel Car to remain closed for 10 more days amid a COVID-19 outbreak that saw cases spread among already reduced staff during a voluntary shutdown.

A section 22 order signed by associate medical officer of healthDr. Ninh Tran and dated May 4, directs the railcar manufacturerto immediately carry out a "full and complete closure."

The order states that only the "minimum number of employees" will be able to come on site for 10 days, though it's not clear just how many workers that refers to.

Meanwhile, a notice on the company's website with the same date advises staffit had decided to suspend operations for another week "out of an abundance of caution," with plans to resume on May 17.

National Steel Car is continuing to monitor thepandemic and "our top priority remains the health and safety" of its staff, customers and suppliers, the notice says.

The company previously shut down voluntarily as cases began to appear there, buthealth officials sayinvestigation shows the virus spread among the remaining workers.

"During the closure there were six cases identified," read an email from public health.

The outbreak has grown to 34 cases as of Thursday. The B117 variant, first identified in the U.K., has been found there.

In outlining the reasons for the order, Tran points to evidence of COVID-19 spreading throughout the facility and "inadequate control measures" as part of the site's outbreak management plan.

It dictates that the company must carry out active screening for all essential employees who continue to come in during the closure and that anyone with symptoms be told to go home and self-isolate.

Any staff members who develop symptoms must contact a supervisor and healthcare provider.

Anyone on site during the closure must wear a mask that covers their mouth, nose and chin, stand at least two metres apart and follow good hand hygiene, the order says.

Public health has also ordered National Steel Car to provide daily updates on the names of asymptomatic and symptomatic staff.