Five cases of COVID-19 are connected to the construction of the Roquette pea protein plant near Portage la Prairie.

Roquette Canada said it first learned about a positive case in a construction worker at the facility on November 6. The company said the worker contracted COVID-19 from a family member, and not at the construction site.

Four other workers were identified as having close contact with the COVID-positive worker. Three of those contacts tested positive, while a fourth is awaiting results.

The company said a fifth positive case involves a Roquette Canada employee who contracted COVID-19 away from the site. There were no close contacts to this employee at the Roquette site.

The plant is scheduled to begin operations by the end of 2020.