London, Ont. Lowe’s employee contracts coronavirus

An employee at Lowe’s South West London store has tested positive for COVID-19.

Lowe’s Canada posted a statement on their Facebook page notifying customers that an employee who worked on March 24 at their location at 3375 Wonderland Rd. S in London, Ont., has the illness caused by the novel coronavirus.

The company said anyone who visited the store between March 21 and 24 is encouraged to monitor their symptoms and call Telehealth at 1-866-797-0000 if needed.

“To ensure the health and safety of our associates and customers, we have closed the store to allow for an extensive cleaning and disinfecting of the premises,” the statement said.

The company has been in contact with the Middlesex London Health Unit and is coordinating next-steps with them.

2:03 Ontario’s essential services list gets smaller in effort to reduce spread of COVID-19

The MLHU is reminding people about the importance of physical distancing and to not go out unless it’s absolutely necessary.

As of Sunday, the MLHU reported 135 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic first began.

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.