EPM Putting 1,000 Workers at Hidroituango Site in Voluntary Isolation over Covid-19 Fears

Medellin-based electric power giant EPM announced June 8 that more than 1,000 construction workers at its US$5 billion, 2.4-gigawatt “Hidroituango” hydroelectric project in Antioquia will undergo staggered, voluntary isolation in June and July to avoid possible Covid-19 outbreaks.

To date, EPM reports that it has detected 283 cases of Covid-19 infections among Hidroituango workers, with 21 already recovered. The other 262 workers “have mild symptoms or are asymptomatic. Two of them have been provided hospital care for reasons not associated with Covid-19 and their health condition is stable,” according to EPM.

Beyond those 283 already-isolated workers, another 350 workers are “voluntarily preparing to spend the next few days in individual and voluntary isolation, in order to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus in their family group or in the communities to which they will return,” according to EPM.

“This process is carried out both in the Villa Luz camp of the CCCI [construction] consortium, and in the Tacuí-Cuni camp of EPM, following the advice of the Epidemiological Surveillance System and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Antioquia and in coordination with the Secretariat of Health of Antioquia,” according to the company.

These volunteers will spend at least seven days in preventive isolation, “after which time the Coronavirus test (Covid-19) will be applied. If the result is negative, then they will receive a certificate that they are not carriers of the virus, and they will be able to return to their communities,” according to EPM.

However, any workers found positive for Covid-19 will be transferred to Medellín for medically supervised recovery, the company added.