Urgent warning to shoppers as FOUR Coles stores are deep cleaned following positive COVID-19 result

• e-mail

Four Coles supermarkets in Melbourne were closed for deep cleaning overnight after four staff members tested positive for coronavirus.

Any shoppers who attended the Coburg, Altona, Cardinia Lakes and Elsternwick stores are being urged to monitor their health.

But the supermarket giant says the risk to customers is 'very low'.

A patient has her temperature checked at a medical clinic during lockdown due to the continuing spread of the coronavirus in Melbourne on August 6

Four Coles supermarkets in Melbourne were closed for deep cleaning overnight after four staff members tested positive for coronavirus. Pictured: Coburg Coles

Each of the staff members who became infected had not been in the stores for several days and the supermarkets have since undergone 'an additional deep clean'.

Coles said in a statement, the team member at Coburg had not been to the store since August 9.

The employee at Altona had not been to work since August 6.

The team worker at Cardinia Lakes had not entered the premises since August 5 and the staff member at Elsternwick last came to work on August 2.

Each of the infected workers are now in self-isolation, along with a small number of close contacts at each store.

'Coles’ standard cleaning procedures comply with the Federal Government’s COVID-19 Hygiene Practices For Supermarkets,' the coronavirus-impacted supermarket chain said.

Any shoppers who attended the Coburg, Altona, Cardinia Lakes and Elsternwick stores are being urged to monitor their health. Pictured: Cardinia Lakes Coles

But the supermarket giant says the risk to customers is 'very low'. Pictured: Elsternwick Coles 

'As an added precaution, Coles conducted an additional deep clean of the store.

'Consistent with prior practice developed with the Victorian Department of Health, the store can continue to trade and the risk of transmission for customers and team members is very low.' 

In the past 24 hours, Coles have also reported that three workers from the Lalor Plaza, Clyde North and Corio Village stores have also returned positive tests.

These stores have since been deep cleaned and are also now reopened. 

The string of cases comes on Victoria's deadliest day of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There were 410 new cases on Wednesday and a further 21 patients sadly died.

There are currently over 7,800 active cases in the state and the death told has now climbed to 267.   

A couple walks on a footbridge over the Yarra River in the Southbank district of Melbourne on August 12, 2020

Each of the staff members who became infected had not been in the stores for several days and the supermarkets have since undergone 'an additional deep clean'. Pictured: Altona Coles