Walmart confirms Coquitlam employee had coronavirus

Photo: Glacier Media

An employee at the Coquitlam Centre Walmart has tested positive for COVID-19.

Walmart’s director of corporate affairs, Adam Grachnik, confirmed an associate from the store had contracted the novel coronavirus, but that employee’s last day of work was on March 20.

Glacier Media received an anonymous tip about the positive case, as well as concerns about how Walmart handled the situation. But in the email from the company, Grachnik said the store has taken the required precautions. 

“Rest assured, we will continue to take measures necessary to ensure the well-being of our customers and associates,” said Grachnik in an email. “We have regular enhanced cleaning in the store and other social distancing measures in place.”

Grachnik added that Walmart contacted local health officials after learning of the case.

Fraser Health would not confirm any of the specifics of the case, citing B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry’s plea for all communities in the province to assume COVID-19 may be circulating within their community, whether they believe there has been a positive case or not.

“We will not be identifying the specific location of confirmed cases unless public health providers cannot be certain they have reached all those who need to be contacted and who therefore might be a risk to the public,” wrote a spokesperson for Fraser Health in an email.