Information Bulletin : Agnico Eagle Provides an Update on Results from its COVID-19 Testing Program for Employees at its Meliadine Mine

Agnico Eagle is providing the following update on recent results from its COVID-19 testing program for employees at its Meliadine mine, near Rankin Inlet, Nunavut.

On October 28, 2020, an employee traveling northbound to the Meliadine mine, and boarding from Mirabel, tested positive for COVID-19 at our testing facility in Val-d’Or and was considered a presumptive case. The individual did not present any symptoms, however, the testing facility has the ability to detect the presence of the virus even if the person does not show any symptoms. The individual was extracted from site on a special flight later in the day on October 28^th.

Agnico Eagle confirms that on November 1, 2020, it received official notice from an accredited laboratory in Quebec, confirming that the individual has tested positive for COVID-19.

As previously reported, upon arriving at the mine site, employees from the October 28^th northbound flight were immediately placed in strict isolation in their rooms while a contact tracing exercise was conducted. The tracing exercise identified 17 employees at Meliadine that may have been in contact with the individual. The Company’s extraction protocol was activated and protective measures have been put in place to prevent potential contamination. The 17 people identified as potential contacts remained isolated at the mine site until being extracted from site on October 29^th on a special charter flight.

We are working closely with Nunavut’s Office of the Chief Public Health Officer and we are following their recommendations. Mandatory masks and hygiene protocols were followed by employees prior to boarding the flight, during the flight, as well as for the bus transfer to the mine site.

The risk of transmission to the community of Rankin Inlet is very low. The Meliadine mine implemented precautionary measures in March to isolate itself from the community, including by having its Nunavummiut workers stay at home with 75% of their base salary to eliminate the potential risk of transmission of COVID-19 into the communities.