Metro Atlanta Waffle House employee tests positive for coronavirus

CANTON, Ga. — A Waffle House worker in Cherokee County has tested positive for coronavirus, Waffle House officials confirmed Tuesday.

The employee worked at the Waffle House at 1849 Marietta Highway in Canton.

Twelve employees who worked at the same Waffle House are now under self-quarantine until Saturday and the store is closed. So far, officials say none of those employees have showed symptoms of the illness.

Officials said the employee was new and only worked at the store for one day during the last two weeks, on March 1. The patient went to the hospital but has since been released and is in isolation. The patient has not been identified.

The 10 hourly employees who are on self-quarantine will be paid while they are in quarantine, the company said.

Waffle House officials are working with the Cherokee County Health Department to advise them on how to proceed.

“We continue to work with state and local health department personnel for guidance. Our main concern has been, and will continue to be, the safety of our associates and customers,” Waffle House officials said in a statement.

Channel 2′s Audrey Washington was in Cherokee County, where a sign on the door informed would-be customers that the store was closed.

Washington talked to Waffle House Director of Public Relations Njeri Boss about what the company is doing differently at all its stores to keep customers safe.

“We are removing the condiments caddies from our tables and we will be asking them if they need ketchup, then wipe down immediately thereafter," Boss said.

They also are stepping up sanitization and cleaning procedures and taking extra health precautions at all of the Waffle House stores.

"These steps have been taken out of an abundance of precaution," Boss said.

There are no recent reports of health issues from any other employees or customers who ate at the Canton Waffle House.

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