Editor's note: The following story has been updated from its original version to include comments from Canadian Tire head office.
An individual employed at the Canadian Tire in Barrie's south end has tested positive for COVID-19.
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit's medical officer of health, Dr. Charles Gardner, confirmed the health unit was aware of the case.
"It's new. We're investigating it now," Gardner said during a media briefing Tuesday afternoon.
Since the health unit is still investigating, the transmission source of the new case has not yet been determined and very few details have been released.
Gardner said the health unit is conducting contact tracing, which involves going back to 48 hours before symptom onset to trace contacts.
The case has not yet been included in the list of confirmed cases in Simcoe-Muskoka region, which today included a new Barrie case.
BarrieToday reached out to Canadian Tire's corporate head office for comment.
"In the case of our Canadian Tire store in south-Barrie, and all of our stores, if an employee has been exposed to or tested positive for COVID-19, we support the employee in following public health’s recommendations," a company spokesperson wrote in an email Tuesday evening. "As the employee who tested positive at this store works in the warehouse, which is closed off to customers, the store remains open and continues to follow guidance from (the) Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.
"The warehouse underwent a deep-clean and sanitization, over and above the current enhanced cleaning measures," the spokesperson added.
— With files from Shawn Gibson
