Coronavirus: 2 more employees at Whole Foods in East Pasadena test positive for COVID, report says
On May 15, the supermarket chain confirmed that an employee at the store had died on May 8.
PASADENA, Calif. (CNS) -- Two more employees at the Whole Foods Market in East Pasadena have tested positive for coronavirus just weeks after another employee tested positive and died, the Southern California News Group reported Wednesday.
Text messages to Whole Foods employees obtained by the news organization confirmed three cases, all in the last month. Neither of the recent cases have been publicly disclosed by the company.
A text message sent to employees May 5 read: "Your location has a confirmed case of COVID-19. Your safety and health is our top priority.''
A second text message sent on May 8 told workers of "an additional confirmed case of COVID-19.''
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On May 19, employees received a third text message that confirmed another case of coronavirus, but the employee had not been at work for more than two weeks.
An email from a company spokesperson confirmed there have been positive tests of employees at the store.
"I can confirm that we have had team members diagnosed positive with COVID-19 at this location,'' the email read. It did not specify an exact number of cases at the store.
The spokesperson said when the company learns of a positive case in their stores, it "activates a swift and comprehensive action plan, which includes contact tracing and a formal notification process for those working in our stores.''
Employees who comes in close contact with an infected worker, as well as anyone who has tested positive or has a presumed positive diagnosis, are asked to quarantine with up to two weeks of additional paid time off.
On May 15, the supermarket chain confirmed that an employee at the store had died on May 8 of coronavirus-related complications.
