More than two dozen people have tested positive for COVID-19 at Juneau’s Kensington Mine, representatives of the remote mine said Sunday.
Testing of about 250 people at the mine site yielded “approximately 25 cases,” according to the company.
“Approximately half of the positive cases are exhibiting mild symptoms and the remainder are asymptomatic,” Coeur Alaska spokeswoman Jan Trigg said in a statement. “The health and safety of our people, families, communities, and contractors remains our top priority, and we are committed to help stop the spread of COVID-19.”
The workers who tested positive and their close contacts have been moved off the mine site. They are now isolating at a Juneau hotel until cleared by medical providers, the company said.
Coeur Alaska quarantines its workers for one week before testing them for COVID-19. After receiving a negative test, employees work on site for four weeks.
Kensington Mine is only accessible by air and water. It is one of the largest private sector employers in Southeast Alaska, with nearly 400 people on its payroll.
