SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - New Mexico work safety regulators Saturday ordered Walmart to close a store in Las Cruces, after four employees tested positive for COVID-19 in the past three weeks, the New Mexico Environment Department said.
A “notice of imminent endangerment” issued by the Occupational and Safety Bureau also requires Walmart to test the store’s workers for COVID-19 and to thoroughly disinfect the building, the department said in a statement.
“Walmart stated they do not require employees who test positive to self-quarantine for 14 days, nor do they notify individuals who came into close personal contact with such employees to get tested,” the statement said.
The department urged customers who visited the Las Cruces location on Rinconada Boulevard since June 22 to seek COVID-19 testing.
The New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Act requires employers to provide safe and healthful workplaces for their employees, the department said.
Walmart spokesman Pedro Mucciolo responded to a request for comment on the state’s action with a statement that did not specifically address the New Mexico order but said the company was “taking all measures necessary to safeguard the well-being of those inside our stores, fulfillment centers and distribution centers.”“
Walmart is working to to ensure that its stores are cleaned and sanitized regularly, the statement said. “We are focused on serving our customers and keeping our associates safe during this unprecedented time and we’ve implemented several measures in consideration of guidance by the CDC and health experts intended to help bring peace of mind.”
In other developments:
- State health officials on Saturday reported four additional COVID-19 deaths and 230 additional confirmed cases. The additional deaths increased the statewide death toll to 543 while the number of confirmed cases rose to 14,773
The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, Studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick.
- The San Juan County Fair, a summertime event held annually since 1884, won’t be held in 2020 because of the virus outbreak, officials announced.
The event featuring concerts, a carnival, livestock shows and exhibitions was scheduled for August 2017. But board members said the decision was necessary because of guidelines set in Lujan Grisham’s public health orders and the uncertainty of the situation.
“It has become clear that there is no way to continue to plan for an event which draws crowds numbering in the tens of thousands,” Fair Board President Kim Martinez said in a statement Thursday.
- The owner of a Carlsbad hotel and restaurant said she won’t obey Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s orders shutting down indoor restaurant service and will keep the business open to support her 41 employees and their families, the Carlsbad Curent-Argus reported.
“This would shut us down for good. We are going to be staying open,” said Janie Balzano, owner of the Trinity Hotel and Restaurant.
Lujan Grisham on Thursday rolled back some re-openings, banning indoor seating at restaurants and cautioning residents that further upticks could endanger plans to reopen more of the economy. Contact sports and film shoots are also on hold for the foreseeable future.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.
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