Seven workers at Hamilton Mountain Fortinos test positive for COVID-19

Seven workers at a Hamilton Mountain grocery store have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the store's parent company.

Loblaw was notified Tuesday that seven workers at the Fortinos located at 65 Mall Rd. tested positive for the virus, as per its online COVID-19 case tracker.

The staff members had varying last shifts, but they all fell within the dates of May 2, May 3 and May 4. An outbreak has not been declared at the store.

Loblaw was also notified Monday that two employees at the Fortinos located at 21 Upper Centennial Pkwy. S. in Stoney Creek had tested positive for COVID. Their last shifts were on May 8 and May 10.

The Stoney Creek store is currently in an outbreak, according to Hamilton public health. Four staff members have been infected.

There is also an outbreak involving two staff members at the Shoppers Drug Mart located at 377 Highway 8 in Stoney Creek.

Both outbreaks have cases that have screened positive for the B.1.1.7 variant, first found in the United Kingdom.

According to Loblaw, when a worker tests positive they work closely with public health and follow their guidance to ensure proper notification of close contacts and required cleaning and sanitization in our stores."

An employee at a Farm Boy grocery store in Hamilton has also tested positive for COVID-19.

The worker tested positive on Monday and was last in the store, located at 801 Mohawk Rd. W. in the Harvard Square Plaza, on May 3.

The store was working with public health to conduct contact tracing immediately" and a cleaning was scheduled, according to Farm Boy.

It's unclear how many staff members were affected by the cases or if any were recommended to self-isolate as a precaution. Neither of the databases specify which part of the store the employees worked in.

Fallon Hewitt is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: fhewitt@thespec.com