Tampa’s Olivia closes for a couple days after employee tests positive for COVID-19

South Tampa Italian restaurant Olivia has temporarily closed after an employee at the restaurant tested positive for COVID-19.

The closing was announced in a statement on the restaurant’s Facebook and Instagram accounts on Monday. According to the statement, the employee began showing symptoms while at home last week and had not worked at the restaurant since June 13.

The employee was “immediately tested and self-quarantined at home,” the statement said. “This employee was not in contact with any of our staff or guests since they began exhibiting symptoms.”

The popular Italian restaurant from chef Chris Ponte will remain closed for cleaning and sanitation and will reopen on Thursday. According to the statement, employees at the restaurant have daily temperature checks and wear masks. Guests are required to sanitize their hands upon entering.

Any employee of the restaurant who shows symptoms of the coronavirus will be required to test negative before returning to work, the statement said. The employee who tested positive for COVID-19 will remain in quarantine for the next 14 days, the standard recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The news comes amid a spike in coronavirus cases in Florida and a growing list of Tampa Bay-area restaurants and bars that have had employees test positive for COVID-19, including nearby Forbici and Meat Market, both in Hyde Park Village.

Restaurant and bar owners in Florida are not required to disclose to the public when an employee tests positive for the virus and they are not required to close, either.