Vaughan grocery store linked to outbreak of 23 COVID-19 cases

York Region Public Health (YRPH) has issued a warning about a COVID-19 outbreak tied to a Vaughan grocery store where 23 people have so far tested positive.

Public health officials have asked that anyone who shopped at Concord Food Centre at 1438 Centre Street monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19 for two weeks if they visited the store between April 8 and May 21.

The workplace outbreak was declared on May 12 after 14 employees tested positive for the virus. Since then, the total cases tied to the outbreak has risen to 23.

Of the people who became ill, 18 live in York Region, two live in Peel, two live in Toronto, and one lives in Simcoe Muskoka.

Many of the employees have already recovered, and more than half of the case in the outbreak occurred between April 9 and May 2.

Several grocery store customers questioned why York Region Public Health waited so long to notify people about the growing outbreak.

I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS TOOK SO LONG TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW!! I AM THERE ALL THE TIME!!! WAY TO GO

— Evelyn James (@thornhillevelyn) May 27, 2021

Good job York! Notify us 2 weeks after the outbreak was declared. pic.twitter.com/HYOokV5M2w

— Santina Colacino 🇨🇦 (@scolacino) May 26, 2021

“Was declared May 12” yet advising the public on May 26? Good job.

— Michael (@7mseven) May 26, 2021

Patrick Casey, director of corporate communications with York Region, said YRPH decided to let the public know on May 26 because of the rise in confirmed cases since the outbreak was first declared. He added the most recent worker who tested positive had their last shift on May 21.

Inspectors visited the grocery store on May 17, but the business did not receive a fine and remains open.

Ontario reported 1,095 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, marking the second day in a row cases have been near 1,000. To date, Ontario has seen 526,045 COVID-19 cases and 8,678 deaths.