An employee at the Lowe's store in Harper Woods has died from coronavirus, prompting the big-box retailer to send home managers and store associates who were in close contact with the infected workers, the company disclosed Wednesday.

The employee who died from a COVID-19 infection last worked in the store on March 16, company spokesman Pedro Chen told Crain's.

"Lowe's is devastated to learn of our associate's passing, and we will work closely with the family to ease this tragedy however we can," Chen said Wednesday in an email.

The Harper Woods store, located on Vernier Road in the Eastland shopping center, has closed the interior of the store to customers, but online ordering and curbside pickup of lumber, hardware and other supplies remains available.

"The store has been extensively cleaned per CDC guidelines, and in an abundance of caution, associates who had worked closely with this individual over a period of time have been put on a paid leave," Chen said.

Lowe's Companies Inc. (NYSE: LOW) has extended 14-day emergency paid leave to other employees and implemented a number of social-distancing protocals, including signs and markings on checkout lanes to space out customers and cash register workers, Chen said.

The company also has installed plexiglass shields at cash registers as an added level of protection to mitigate spread of the virus, Chen said.