Warner Brothers TV, producers of The CW’s Archie Comics TV series Riverdale, have announced that production on the final episodes of the show’s current fourth season has been suspended after a crew member came into contact with someone who has since been diagnosed with the coronavirus. TVLine reports that the crew member is currently under medical observation.
In a statement, WB said they were suspending production “out of an abundance of caution”:
“We have been made aware that a team member from ‘Riverdale,’ which is produced in Vancouver, was recently in contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19. The team member is currently receiving medical evaluation,” said a Warner Bros. TV spokesperson in a statement to TVLine. “We are working closely with the appropriate authorities and health agencies in Vancouver to identify and contact all individuals who may have come into direct contact with our team member. The health and safety of our employees, casts and crews is always our top priority. We have and will continue to take precautions to protect everyone who works on our productions around the world. Out of an abundance of caution, production on Riverdale is currently suspended.”
Riverdale films in Vancouver, British Columbia, less than three hours away from Seattle, which has become the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States. Vancouver is home to production of multiple CW series, including The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, and Supernatural, among others. Riverdale sister series The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina also films in Vancouver.
As the coronavirus outbreak worsens — the World Health Organization yesterday declared COVID-19 to be a global pandemic — more stories like this are sure to come. The first reported celebrity case of coronavirus was revealed just last night, as Tom Hanks revealed via social media that he and wife Rita Wilson have contracted the virus while filming in Australia.
Riverdale airs on Wednesday nights on The CW.
