An Enderby hotel pub and restaurant has been shut down for two full days after a customer reportedly tested positive for COVID-19.
The liquor store at the Howard Johnson by Wyndham remains open, but the restaurant and pub have been closed since Sunday afternoon as a precautionary measure.
That’s when management became aware a guest had previously visited the pub while allegedly awaiting the results of his COVID-19 test. Owner Jagminder Samra said when he found out the guest had tested positive for the virus around 3 p.m. Nov. 29, he closed the restaurant immediately.
“We shut down because a waitress served them,” Samra said, adding all waitress and management staff have been asked to self-isolate and get tested for the coronavirus. “We did it right away, as soon as we knew.”
The restaurant has contacted Interior Health about the incident, but is awaiting a reply. Samra said he expects his staff to hear the results of their COVID-19 tests by Wednesday morning (Dec. 2), and if the results come back negative they can resume business as usual.
“I don’t know why he came here … I don’t know why he put everybody at risk,” Samra said. “And our business too, he closed us for almost two days.”
Upon being contacted, Interior Health said it does not provide specific details about individual cases, including locations, unless there is a broader risk of exposure. If there is a broader risk to the community, Interior Health will issue a public notification. Public COVID-19 exposures are listed on Interior Health’s website.
“Anyone at risk of exposure to any case will be contacted directly by IH public health contact tracers,” the regional health authority said.
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