Worcester Walmart Still Closed After 81 Employees Test Positive For Coronavirus
WORCESTER (CBS) -- A Walmart in Worcester is still closed after 81 of its employees tested positive for coronavirus. The Tobias Boland Way store was closed on Wednesday after 23 employees tested positive.
"The store has been professionally cleaned and the goal is to allow the store to open sometime in the next couple of days," said City Manager Edward Augustus.
A total of 391 employees needed to be tested Thursday and Friday after the initial outbreak. Of those, 58 came back positive.
"We did say one of the things we want to see before the store is allowed to reopen is not only confirm that the cleaning that was professionally done is in line with our expectations for the cleaning but that there are the right supplies, the right signage, the right layout of six feet in terms of the checkout areas and other areas where people might congregate. So that will all have to be confirmed in place before the store is allowed to reopen," Augustus added.
The store has already undergone two rounds of deep cleaning by an outside company, according to Worcester Medical Director Dr. Michael Hirsh.
The Worcester mayor said the city is in the coronavirus surge. As of Sunday, there is a total of 2,386 coronavirus cases.