Burnaby T&T store hit by a new COVID-19 case

Asian grocery chain T&T is grappling with multiple cases of COVID-19 in its local stores.

A behind-the-scenes worker from the Metropolis grocer at the Metrotown location in Burnaby was flagged for a positive COVID-19 test on November 30 and had last worked at the store on November 26.

The company says it is now taking swift action to address this and other cases in its stores.

This follows another grocery store in Metropolis to Metrotown that sees a COVID-19 case with staff. The Real Canadian Superstore recently announced a case involving one of its employees. The last day the team member worked was November 22, according to a new message on the company’s COVID-19 trail page.

The T&T store at Coquitlam Center reported a fourth case of COVID-19 among its staff in just over a week, prompting the store to close its doors while disinfecting.

The exposure notification, released on December 1, indicates that the Coquitlam Center T&T supermarket employee who tested positive for the virus last worked on November 21. Since then, that person has remained in quarantine, according to a notification on the store’s website.

“The virus situation in the Coquitlam store is disturbing, so we are determined to eliminate it,” said Tina Lee, CEO of T&T, in a written statement. “It is time for our Coquitlam store staff to take a break and for the company to take even stronger measures.”

The shop closed its doors on Wednesday 2 December and will remain closed until Saturday 5 December, during the “deep sanitation” period.

“This allows all personnel to test and dissipate any potential infectious viral particles on surfaces,” added Lee.

According to the company, the store’s COVID-19 test positivity rate was 0.31% on December 2. By comparison, as of Monday, December 1, the entire Fraser Health region, which includes the Tri-Cities, had an 8.4% positivity rate.

• With files by Stefan Labbe, Tri-City News