PORTAGE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Stryker Corporation says that it’s taking precautions after an employee who visited the company’s Portage campus was found to potentially carry coronavirus.
The Kalamazoo-based company said in a statement on Wednesday that one employee “has reason to be tested”.
Michigan health officials confirmed just the night before that they had confirmed the first two cases of coronavirus, or Covid 19, in the state. The two individuals who tested positive are in Oakland and Wayne Counties located in the Metro Detroit area.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency during a late night press conference on Tuesday saying, “The main goal of these efforts is to slow the spread of the virus, not stop it.” The governor and state health director Joneigh Khaldun are urging Michiganders to take action to prevent the spread of the illness.
A Stryker spokesperson told WWMT that the company has identified a small group of individuals who were in contact with the employee and have asked that they self-quarantine for at least 14 days to prevent any potential contact.
The company representative said in a statement:
“The health and safety of our employees, customers and communities is our priority. This week, we learned an employee visiting one of our Portage, Michigan, locations has reason to be tested for COVID-19. We have identified a small group of people who were in contact with this individual and requested that they monitor their health for symptoms, seek medical guidance and evaluation, and self-quarantine for at least 14 days. We have also activated our cleaning protocols following industry best practices and CDC guidance. We will continue to support our employees during this time.”
In a companywide meeting, Stryker staff were told that if the government orders a mandatory shut down of its workplaces then employees will be provided paid-time off.
Employees are being encouraged to work from home and the company is limiting employee travel as well as imposing restrictions for visitors to its facilities.
As of now there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Southwest Michigan. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services are working with local health departments to monitor suspected cases and test individuals for Covid 19.
