LONDON, ONT. -- A worker at the Real Canadian Superstore in the Oakridge Mall has tested positive for COVID-19, store officials say.

The team member last worked at the store, at 1205 Oxford St. W, on Monday. There are no details on the worker's position.

The store was open as usual on Saturday, after "a thorough deep-clean and sanitization of the store."

Dr. Chris Mackie, medical officer of heath for Middlesex-London Health Unit, tells CTV News the individual contracted the illness through community spread, and is recovering well at home.

The employee was in close contact with three other staff members, all of whom are now in self-isolation.

Real Canadian Superstore released a statement Friday confirming the COVID-19 case.

Hayden, a London local, says a day cleaning, doesn’t seem long enough, “I think it’s kind of wild that the store is even open after all of this. We heard about it yesterday…the store had a clean, the store is still open, people are going in. Who knows what’s happening, I think this is really not helping with the cause right now.”

Customers were seen flooding into the store for their weekend necessities. Joanne Petersen was one of them.

“I think the Superstore…has done a great job with their staff and with customers. We need to eat, we need food, and this is the store we go to so we wanted to continue to come here.”

Mackie says, as long as the cleaning crew did a thorough job, then it’s a safe place for customers to be.

“Coronavirus is not a difficult virus to kill. A proper disinfection of the facility would be more than enough to reopen. The main spread for coronavirus we are learning now, is very much person to person in terms of micro-droplets from coughing and sneezing…As long as the cleaning company is doing a thorough job we wouldn’t require them to be closed any longer than it takes to do the cleaning.”

Real Canadian Superstore said in a statement they have taken a number steps in response to the incident:

  • arranged for a thorough deep-clean and sanitization of the store
  • contact local public health authority to investigate team member’s recent shifts and direct contacts
  • instructed exposed team members to stay home and self-isolate
  • notifying customers who recently transacted at this store