Whole floor of RBC workers in Mississauga in self-quarantine after employee diagnosed with COVID-19

Dozens of workers at Royal Bank of Canada’s office in Mississauga are now in self-isolation at home after an employee there tested positive for COVID-19, while a downtown Toronto office of accounting firm BDO shut down for disinfection for the same reason.

RBC spokesperson Gillian McArdle told BNN Bloomberg that an employee at the Meadowvale complex at 6880 Financial Drive in Mississauga has been at home in self-isolation since late last week with a suspected case of the novel coronavirus.

The Public Health Ontario lab in Toronto since confirmed her diagnosis and McArdle said the whole floor she worked on was sent home.

“As a precautionary measure, we immediately advised employees who work on the same floor to self-quarantine until further notice, and we immediately undertook a disinfecting of the impacted floor and in all common areas, including elevators, cafeteria and washrooms,” she said.

The COVID-19 patient remains at home in self-isolation and is in good condition.

McArdle declined to disclose when the employee was present for work at the building last week, citing privacy concerns.

There are four cases of the illness in Peel region, and only two are in individuals of traditional working age.

One was in a man in his 50s who recently returned from Germany, while another was in a woman in her 30s believed to be in close contact with a previous confirmed case.

Apart from the self-isolation order, public health officials in Peel are likely tracing all of the RBC employee's travel and personal contact over the past several days, and testing and isolating anyone who may present a risk of infection.

Meanwhile, accounting firm BDO Canada confirmed to CTV News Toronto that its office at 20 Wellington Street West is currently shut down and undergoing a thorough disinfection, after one of its employees tested positive for COVID-19.

“This individual recently travelled overseas, has spoken with their local health authorities, and is self-isolated at home,” a spokesperson said. She later said the employee never physically attended the office before her diagnosis.

But as a result, all workers at that location are now working from home.

A contractor who did not wish to be named who was working in the tower where BDO’s office is located told CTV News Toronto just passing through the building made him think.

“It’s very scary, I mean if these people have been exposed to the coronavirus they should be in self-quarantine. We had a group of guys walking through the building touching railings, touching door handles and stuff like that, but we do sanitize our hands as often as we can.”

He said he would seek to be tested for COVID-19 by his doctor as soon as possible.

There are 36 cases of COVID-19 in Ontario and 80 throughout Canada as of Tuesday morning, and five confirmed patients in Ontario have made full recoveries.

McArdle said the company is in regular contact with those in self-isolation.

“We continue to work with Public Health in determining advice and next steps for our employees on the impacted floor. We are in regular contact with our employees who work on this floor and are committed to addressing their questions and concerns.”

Concerns about people infected with coronavirus have prompted temporary shutdowns of various buildings for investigation and disinfection, including a Scarborough condo tower, a North York technical college campus, a midtown Toronto English as Second Language school and mostly recently, a Rosedale-area elementary school.