Three retail stores in Port Elizabeth closed their doors on Monday after staff members tested positive for Covid-19.
The Shoprite Group has confirmed that its Checkers store in Newton Park was closed on Monday following staff members testing positive for the coronavirus.
The Walmer Park shopping centre also released a statement on Monday saying that it had come to their attention that a Dischem Walmer Park employee and a third-party contractor to Pick n Pay have tested positive for the Covid-19 virus.
In a statement, the Shoprite Group said the National Institute of Communicable Diseases and Department of Health were informed.
The store closed immediately and a professional decontamination company was brought in to sanitise and deep-clean. The store will be reopened in consultation with the provincial Department of Health.
The Shoprite Group says an employee screening programme, supported by the company’s mobile clinic, was activated and those who had close contact are now self-quarantining for 14 days.
The Walmer Park shopping centre management said: "Both stores have been temporarily closed. We have been informed that both the Dischem and Pick n Pay stores will undergo forensic deep-cleaning by specialists, and all staff who have been in close contact with the employee or the store third-party contractor will be placed in self-quarantine.
"This procedure is guided by the approach of the Department of Health and National Institute of Communicable Diseases. We cannot at this stage confirm how long the stores will be closed but they will only reopen for trade once it is safe to do so.
"The health and safety of everyone visiting and working at Walmer Park Shopping Centre remains our primary focus as we fight the Covid-19 pandemic together.
"We encourage our customers to continue to wear a face mask, practise good personal hand, sneeze and cough hygiene as well as physical social distancing at all times, as it is key to preventing the spread of Covid-19."