Outbreak grows at Midtown Calgary Co-op as 15 employees test positive for COVID-19

A COVID-19 outbreak at a Beltline grocery store has grown to 15 cases among staff.

On April 19, the Midtown Calgary Co-op told customers that three workers had tested positivebut said at the time there was no evidence the cases were contracted within the store.

Each of those threeemployees last worked April 12 in the produce, meat and grocery sections of the store, located at 1130 11th Avenue S.W.

All three recognized their symptoms and self-isolated.

The company said since those first cases were confirmed, itrequested testing for the rest of the staff at that location and implemented temperature checks before shifts.

Co-op said it has now confirmeda total of 15 cases among staff nine of whom have recovered.

"We have been informed by AHS that the risk of transmission between staff in-store or to shoppers is still low. The majority of cases appear to have been contracted from outside positive sources," a release sent to customers from CEO Ken Keelor on Tuesday read.

The company said it's taken a number of measures, like increasing sanitizing, installing plexiglass barriers at checkouts and providing hand sanitizer at the store's entrance.