Durban Pick n Pay forced to close three times in two months

A Durban supermarket has had to close its doors three times in the past two months mainly because of workers testing positive for Covid-19.

On Saturday Pick n Pay at Musgrave Centre temporarily closed after a worker tested positive. Last month the store was forced to temporarily close after a manager contracted the virus. At the end of April it shut its doors to deep clean, “as a precaution”, after a worker died. 

Pick n Pay said at the time there was “no suggestion at this stage” that the employee's death was linked to the virus.

Regarding the latest incident, Pick n Pay said that the store closed temporarily on Saturday after a staff member tested positive.

“The staff member has not been at work since Thursday. The staff member’s close contacts were immediately traced and they were sent home to self-quarantine for the required period. 

“As a precaution, the remainder of the store staff who were not in close contact with the staff member will be screened by health practitioners.”

A specialist cleaning team was brought in to sanitise the store, which has since reopened.

Pick n Pay said it had strict hygiene and social distancing protocols in place and workers are screened before they start work.