An employee who works at two Shoppers Drug Mart locations in southwestern New Brunswick has tested positive for COVID-19.
In a statement to Global News, the company confirmed that the employee works at the Shoppers Drug Mart locations in Quispamsis and Saint John.
“We are in contact with the local public health team and have taken a number of steps to minimize risk, including increased sanitization protocols and enforcing social distancing practices in the store,” Loblawy spokesperson Catherine Thomas said in a statement.
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According to an email sent to customers, the employee hasn’t been at the Saint John location since March 20. There was no date provided for the last time the employee was at the Quispamsis site.
The company says the stores were immediately closed once the employee’s test results came back.
The company says that on top of its daily cleaning protocols and social-distancing practices, a deep clean has been conducted, and any employees who were in close contact with the individual are being told to self-isolate.
“We will work with the local public health team on any further directions and encourage you to reach out to them if you need more information,” the email continues.
Shoppers says the stores are expected to reopen on Monday.
There are 66 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Brunswick. The province announced 15 new cases on Sunday.
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There are 23 cases in the Fredericton region, 17 in the Moncton region, 15 in the Saint John region, four in Edmundston and seven in Campbellton.
Two people in the province have recovered.
Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are legally obligated to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning March 26, in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others. Some provinces and territories have also implemented additional recommendations or enforcement measures to ensure those returning to the area self-isolate.
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.
To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.
For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.
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