Nearly 20,000 Amazon employees have contracted COVID-19 since March

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO)– Amazon has revealed that nearly 20,000 of its front-line employees at both Amazon and Whole Foods have tested positive or been presumed positive for the coronavirus.

The e-commerce giant says it analyzed data on its 1.3 million employees from March 1-September 19. Amazon also compared its case rates to the general public and found it had a 42% lower positivity rate.

A company spokesperson says they did not break the numbers down by individual locations such as the West Columbia fulfillment center or the Whole Foods in Columbia, but did say there are just over 17 cases per 1,000 employees in South Carolina.