Store temporarily shuts down after employee dies from coronavirus

FoodMaxx on Parkmoor Avenue may reopen soon

SAN JOSE >> A grocery store has temporarily shut its doors for cleaning and sanitizing after an employee who contracted COVID-19 died.

The FoodMaxx on Parkmoor Avenue near Meridian Avenue is temporarily closed after store employees learned of their co-worker’s death.

“Out of an abundance of caution, the FoodMaxx store located at 1539 Parkmoor Ave. in San Jose has been temporarily closed,” company spokeswoman Victoria Castro said in an email. “It is expected to re-open in the next few days.”

The company was notified of the employee’s death on Saturday. According to Castro, the employee had not been in the store since March 6. FoodMaxx said the employee “went on vacation and fell ill while away.”

It is not clear when the employee died, but the store closed Saturday night, after managers became aware of the death.

According to Castro, the Santa Clara County Public Health Department has said there is no concern for customers or employees of the store about potential exposure to the novel coronavirus. County health officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the case and did not confirm that it had told employees they were not at risk for exposue.

FoodMaxx was told the store could reopen when the company is ready to do so, Castro said, adding that she expects the store will resume business “in the coming days.”

FoodMaxx operates 54 stores in California, including four in San Jose. The stores are owned by the Save Mart Companies, which is headquartered in Modesto.