Two More Whole Foods Workers Sickened At Pasadena Store

PASADENA, CA — Two Whole Foods Market employees in East Pasadena tested positive for the coronavirus recently, days after a manager at the store died from the disease.

At least three cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed among the employees this month. Recent studies show essential workers across the state falling ill at higher rates than others with the luxury of staying home during the pandemic.

Text messages to Whole Foods employees obtained by the Southern California News Group confirmed three cases, all in the last month. Neither of the recent cases have been publicly disclosed by the company.

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A text message sent to employees May 5 read "Your location has a confirmed case of COVID-19. Your safety and health is our top priority."

A second text message sent on May 8 told workers of "an additional confirmed case of COVID-19."

That same day, an employee of the store at 3751 E. Foothill Blvd died, just days after the store confirmed its first case of coronavirus among employees.

SEE ALSO: Pasadena Whole Foods Employee Dies From COVID-19

On May 19, employees received a third text message that confirmed a another case of coronavirus, but the employee had not been at work for more than two weeks.

An email from a company spokesperson confirmed there have been positive tests of employees at the store.

"I can confirm that we have had team members diagnosed positive with COVID-19 at this location," the email read. It did not specify an exact number of cases at the store.

The spokesperson said when the company learns of a positive case in their stores, it "activates a swift and comprehensive action plan, which includes contact tracing and a formal notification process for those working in our stores."

Employees who comes in close contact with an infected worker, as well as anyone who has tested positive or has a presumed positive diagnosis, are asked to quarantine with up to two weeks of additional paid time off. The grocery store has been a vital resource for the community during the shutdown. Employees, deemed essential workers during the shutdown, were offered hazard pay, a $2 raise to stay on the job despite risk of exposure to the disease. As other grocery chains begin to rescind their hazard pay raises, Whole Foods has not yet made an announcement about its continued hazard pay.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.