Whole Foods in Chapel Hill reports new coronavirus cases

Six employees at the Whole Foods Market in Chapel Hill have tested positive for the coronavirus in the last few weeks, according to store employees.

The company notified store employees of the COVID-19 cases, with the first message on July 2 and the latest on Monday. The News & Observer has viewed screenshots of messages store employees received.

Whole Foods Market would not confirm the number of infected employees, but a company spokesperson said in an email that the employees are quarantined and the store recently was professionally cleaned.

“The safety of our team members and customers is our top priority and we are diligently following all guidance from local health and food safety authorities,” the Whole Foods Market spokesperson said in the email.

“We’ve been working closely with our store team members, and are supporting the diagnosed team members who are in quarantine,” the statement said. “Out of an abundance of caution, the store has recently performed a professional deep cleaning and disinfection, on top of our current enhanced sanitation measures.”

Employees are required to have their temperatures checked and must wear masks, the spokesperson said. Whole Foods Market follows social distancing guidelines and has installed plexiglass barrier at registers.

The company confirmed in May that employees at the same store had tested positive for coronavirus, though the company would not say how many then, The News & Observer reported.

Orange County has required masks of customers and employees at restaurants, grocery stores and retail stores since June 12. On June 24, Gov. Roy Cooper required masks statewide.

Only certain businesses, congregate care facilities, schools, and day care centers, are required to report coronavirus outbreaks, Dr. Mandy Cohen, state Department of Health and Human Services secretary, has said. Other companies are encouraged to work with their local health departments, she has said.

The coronavirus is spreading uncontrolled in North Carolina and much of the southeast, according to an assessment by public health and crisis experts, The N&O reported.

North Carolina recorded another new high Wednesday in COVID-19 patients in hospitals, at 1,142.

New coronavirus cases increased 31.8% in the first 14 days in July compared to the last 14 days in June. Gov. Roy Cooper announced Tuesday he was extending Phase Two of the reopening plan for another three weeks. Coronavirus cases aren’t spiking in North Carolina as they are in other states, Cooper said, but called the numbers here “troubling.”

This story was originally published July 16, 2020 at 6:00 AM.