Employees at No Frills, Rona, Shoppers Drug Mart and Food Basics test positive for COVID-19
Cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed at No Frills, Shoppers Drug Mart, Food Basics and Rona locations across the region.
Loblaw has identified a pair of new cases inside its stores, according to the company's online COVID-19 case tracker.
According to Loblaw, they were notified Wednesday that a second worker at Giorgio's No Frills at 435 Main St. E. tested positive for COVID-19. They were last at work on April 1.
The company was also notified Wednesday that an employee at the Shoppers Drug Mart located at 221 Argyle St. S. in Caledonia also tested positive for the virus. The worker was last in the store on April 1, according to Loblaw.
The new cases come just days after a handful of cases were confirmed in Loblaw stores across Hamilton - with infections recorded in Stoney Creek, Waterdown and on the Mountain.
That also includes an outbreak at the Fortinos located at 1550 Upper James St. Three staff members have tested positive in the outbreak declared on April 1. Cases connected to the outbreak have also screened positive for a variant of concern.
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 the Rona at 633 Parkdale Ave. N. has also tested positive for COVID-19, according to their parent company's online case tracker.
Lowe's was notified on Tuesday that a staff member had tested positive for the virus. Their last shift was on April 1.
According to Lowe's, staff who are identified as a close contact of a confirmed case are directed to self-isolate and are put on preventive paid quarantine at home." The store also undergoes an extensive" cleaning.
Metro has also identified a COVID-19 case in one of its Hamilton-area grocery stores.
An employee at the Food Basics at 63 Main St. W. in Grimsby also tested positive for the virus. The worker's last shift was on March 29. According to Metro, when a case is reported in their stores, a deep clean" is performed at the location out of an abundance of caution."
It's unclear how many staff members were affected by the cases or if any were recommended to self-isolate as a precaution. None 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