Endeavour Mining Corporation (TSE:EDV) (OTCMKTS:EDVMF) told shareholders Monday that production and operations at its mines in West Africa are running as normal despite the outbreak of COVID-19.
The miner’s incident management and response program was activated at the outbreak’s onset and is validated by an epidemiologist special advisor, it said in a statement.
Endeavour “places the safety and wellbeing of employees and contractors as its highest priority,” it told investors.
READ: Gold producer Endeavour Mining posts strong full year financials and continues to deliver its exploration strategy
A business continuity program is in place to protect employees while at the same time ensuring the safe operation of the company, Endeavour said. The company has tightened access to all mine sites in West Africa, with health screening in place for visitors, employees and contractors. Non-essential travel is also cancelled for the time being, according to the company.
The mining firm did see an employee at its Houndé mine in Burkina Faso test positive for coronavirus following a return from the UK. The employee is now in quarantine and the Burkinabe health authorities were immediately notified, the company said in a statement. Staff at the mine site who may have come into contact with the affected employee were identified and have gone into quarantine as a preventative measure.
Endeavour said it has introduced a mandatory 14-day quarantine period for any employees or contractors arriving in Cote d’Ivoire or Burkina Faso, as the employee did not show symptoms upon arrival and passed the mandatory health screening.
The company also said it has sufficient inventory of supplies and equipment, while suppliers have confirmed that any current or future orders are intact.
Endeavour operates the Agbaou and Ity mines in Côte d’Ivoire and the Houndé and Karma mines in Burkina Faso.
Shares in Toronto ticked up 1.82% to C$20.70 each.
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