The FoodMaxx grocery store off of Meridian and Parkmoor avenues in San Jose opted to close its doors for a week after the death of an employee with COVID-19.

Company spokeswoman Victoria Castro told San Jose Inside that the grocery chain decided to temporarily close the Parkmoor Avenue branch “out of an abundance of caution,” but that it’s due to re-open in just a few days.

FoodMaxx managers found out about the employee’s death on Saturday night, according to Castro, who said via email that the unnamed worker had fallen ill on a recent vacation and had not been in the store since March 6.

Santa Clara County public health officials “indicated no concern about the exposure for the customers or employees of the store,” Castro said. “However, FoodMaxx closed the store temporarily for cleaning and sanitizing and it will re-open in the coming days. The [county] signified the store can reopen when the company is ready to do so.”

The county Public Health Department did not return SJI’s request for comment.

Word of the death spread earlier today on Facebook, where people criticized the company for trying to keep employees from telling people about what happened.

“I’m in awe at how hushed they are about this,” one person commented. “The store is telling their employees to not say the real reason they closed. Please quarantine yourselves. Please get tested if you visited the FoodMaxx. Prayers up for everyone’s health. Prayers up for the families who are dealing with this tragedy.”

Jennifer Wadsworth is the news editor for San Jose Inside and Metro Silicon Valley. Email tips to [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @jennwadsworth. Or, click here to sign up for text updates about what she’s working on.