A worker at one of Amazon's 14 fulfillment centers in the Inland Empire has tested positive for coronavirus, Amazon spokesperson Timothy Carter confirmed in a statement to The Desert Sun Tuesday night.

"We are supporting the individual who is recovering. We are following guidelines from local officials and are taking extreme measures to ensure the safety of employees at our site," Carter said.

As Americans order essentials like food and toiletries for home delivery, Amazon, which accounts for 39% of all U.S. e-commerce sales according to the latest estimates from digital research firm eMarketer, is attempting to keep its employees safe while capitalizing on an unprecedented surge in consumer demand.

Amazon workers at facilities in New York, Kentucky, Florida, Texas, Michigan and Oklahoma have also tested positive, Washington Post reported on Wednesday. The tech giant's responses have varied; they've shut down some facilities for cleaning, while requiring employee quarantines at others,

Workers at Amazon's Ont-8 fulfillment center in Moreno Valley were alerted that one of their peers had tested positive for coronavirus starting yesterday. The diagnosed employee, who the company said was last on site on March 18, is receiving medical care and is in quarantine.

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Amazon is not suspending operations, but is asking employees who worked in close contact with the diagnosed individual to self-quarantine for 14 days. The company is providing up to two weeks of pay for all employees diagnosed with COVID-19 or in quarantine.

They've also increased the frequency and intensity of how they're sanitizing door handles, stairway handles, elevator buttons, lockers, touch screens and other items.

An Amazon employee who builds boxes for delivery in the facility's outbound fluid load department said staff was alerted one-by-one on Monday about their diagnosed colleague. The employee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution, said the company had yet to call or email staff who weren't on shift.

She said Amazon's containment and prevention policies and worker protections were insufficient amid the spread of coronavirus. Although the company has implemented staggered shifts and unlimited unpaid vacation, she said, if it really wanted to contain the spread, they would shut down the facility.

"On the news they say on cardboard it lasts, I think, for three days," she said. "In outbound, we touch so much cardboard it's ridiculous. Yes, we wear gloves. We wear (personal protection equipment). But imagine you're wearing a short-sleeve shirt. They're touching things no matter what."

Sam Metz covers politics. Reach him at samuel.metz@desertsun.com or on Twitter @metzsam.