Southgate Apple Store employee tested positive for COVID-19

In this May 31, 2018, photo, a customer enters the Apple store in New York. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

Edmonton — An Apple Store employee at Southgate Centre has been away from work since June 6 after testing positive for COVID-19.

A store employee told CTV News that staff were told on June 9 that a colleague had tested positive for the coronavirus.

The employee said no-one on staff appeared to be sick, and workers weren't told who had tested positive or when he or she had been working.

CTV News is not identifying the employee due to concerns he or she will be fired for speaking out.

The Southgate store closed on March 16 and reopened on May 21.

Apple declined to issue a statement, instead noting it worked with Alberta Health to ensure standards were sufficient with public health orders to keep the store open.

The company's store reopening policy says staff and customers are required to take precautions inside retail locations, including wearing a face mask.

"We're focused on limiting occupancy and giving everybody lots of room, and renewing our focus on one‑on‑one, personalized service at the Genius Bar and throughout the store," it reads.

The policy also notes that reopening "in no way means that we won't take the preventative step of closing it again should local conditions warrant."

Ivanhoe Cambridge, the operators of Southgate Centre, say it doesn't comment on tenants’ internal operations and that the mall fully complies with public health protocols.

"Should we be informed of a confirmed case at the property, we will deploy the necessary thorough cleaning protocol as directed by the public health and governmental authorities to deal with the situation appropriately and help fight the spread of the virus," reads a statement.

Edmonton has had a relatively low number of  COVID-19 cases, but since the start of June the number of active cases has nearly quadrupled from 44 on June 1 to 170 on June 15.