Arlington Whole Foods Employee Tests Positive For Coronavirus

ARLINGTON, MA — An employee of Whole Foods Market in Arlington tested positive for the new coronavirus, according to a spokesperson for the chain. The company did not release additional information about the employee, citing privacy concerns.

"The safety of our Team Members and customers is our top priority and we are diligently following all guidance from local health and food safety authorities," Whole Foods Market said in a statement. "We've been working closely with our store Team Members, and are supporting the diagnosed Team Member, who is in quarantine. Out of an abundance of caution, the store performed an additional cleaning and disinfection, on top of our current enhanced sanitation measures."

In order to help contain the spread of the coronavirus, Whole Foods said it has implemented enhanced daily cleanliness and sanitation protocols across all stores and facilities; is practicing social distancing guidelines to ensure that interaction between employees and customers can happen at a safe distance; and is closing stores up to two hours early to give employees more time to restock shelves, sanitize and rest.

There were 12 positive cases of the coronavirus in Arlington as of Friday. The number of cases in Massachusetts stood at 4,955 as of Sunday night, including 981 in Middlesex County. Across the state, 48 people have died due to COVID-19.

Health officials said the public can expect the number of positive cases to rise as more testing becomes available.