The owner of the Kamloops Home Hardware on Halston Avenue is sharing details about two employees who tested positive for COVID-19 this week.

Rick Kurzac says the first employee last worked a week ago, on Nov. 5, in contractor sales department, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. That worker was tested on Monday and received the positive test on Tuesday.

Kurzac says the second employee last worked on Saturday at the cash register, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. That worker was tested on Monday and got the positive test back yesterday.

The Home Hardware was closed voluntarily yesterday after Kurzac says two workers tested positive, but it’s back open today.

“Our store has been disinfected and we spent much of the day gathering information and speaking with our employees,” Kurzac says in his letter.

“We are grateful for the support we have been receiving in Kamloops and we are proud to be part of this community. Unfortunately, the pandemic is not going away, and COVID-19 continues to present major challenges for local businesses. Please be kind, wear your mask, and stay safe.”

Prior to the COVID-19 exposure in Home Hardware, the McDonald’s restaurant within Walmart also shut down on Sunday after a worker tested positive. It was reopened on Monday.

Last week, a group of workers tested positive for COVID-19 at the Royal Inland Hospital patient care tower project, and the cluster was declared an outbreak six days ago after the virus had spread further. As of Tuesday, eight workers who live within Interior Health had gotten the virus there, and other workers who reside outside of the IHA have as well.