More grocery store chains operating in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, and across British Columbia are reporting several new employee coronavirus (COVID-19) cases.
Sobeys Inc, which operates familiar B.C. chains like Safeway, Thrifty Foods, and FreshCo, added new store staff infections to its online COVID-19 case tracker on March 31, including one that reflects an additional case at a North Vancouver store. The new cases are as follows:
- Thrifty Foods - 3210 Edgemont Blvd, North Vancouver: Employee last worked on March 27, 2021
- Safeway - 6564 East Hastings St, Burnaby: Employee last worked on March 28, 2021.
Sobeys says it intends to continue to update its case tracker for transparency and as soon as information is made available. "Out of respect for our teammates and their confidentiality, we will never release any personal information about our people. We will always do everything we can to support our teammates and ensure their safety. Where required, we will communicate with customers who have shopped in the impacted location, with store signage, outlining our steps to manage the situation," adds the company.
More B.C. cases among staff at Loblaw-owned stores, none at T & T
Loblaw Companies Ltd, the parent company of retail chains Shoppers Drug Mart and Real Canadian Superstore provided updates to its COVID-19 employee case listings on April 1, indicating additional cases among staff at B.C. stores that had previously reported cases this week.
Those stores include Sewak's Your Independent Grocer, where three store employees have now become infected with the virus, and the Real Canadian Superstore in Mission, where a second team member has tested positive for COVID-19, according to Loblaw. Other cases have been flagged at a Shoppers Drug Mart in West Kelowna and a Superstore in Prince George.
Loblaw-owned T & T Supermarket posts employee case updates on its website, however, the company has continued to not have any cases to report in British Columbia in the last 14 days.
None of the above-listed stores are considered COVID-19 public exposure sites by Fraser Health or Vancouver Coastal Health.
On Wednesday, health officials in B.C. announced a record-breaking 1,013 new COVID-19 cases in the province, bringing our total to date to 100,048 cases.
