The Piggly Wiggly store in south Parkersburg is closed due to mouse infestation. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

PARKERSBURG — The Piggly Wiggly at 110 Gihon Village, south Parkersburg, was inspected Wednesday and promptly closed until further notice due to a pest infestation.

The Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department inspected the facility on Wednesday and observed chewed food packages present on store shelves. The inspection report included three priority and five core violations which is an increase from the last inspection on Feb. 5.

They noted that the chewed packages weren’t being discarded and “imminent health hazards exist due to mouse infestation,” according to the health department inspection report.

The report included observations of single-use items in the deli containing feces which were also present near the sink.

Mice feces were observed on store shelves and the report indicated that evidence of mice was present throughout the entire store.

Improper cleaning of the facility was observed and included in the Wednesday report. Prior to the closure of the facility, multiple inspections were made over the past few weeks.

On Jan. 31 an inspection report posted on the health department’s website listed no violations but did note the discovery of “chewed packages of bread and a chewed bag of bird seed. Also found droppings on the bottom shelf in the bread aisle.” The report said a follow-up visit would be made in two weeks.

A follow-up report from an inspection on Feb. 5 listed seven violations, including two priority violations, which are to be corrected within 72 hours. Those also referenced the presence of “damaged (chewed) boxes of food on the shelves” and that the boxes had not been discarded.

Five others were listed as core violations, which need to be corrected by a date and time agreed to or specified by the health department but no later than 90 days after the inspection.

The core violations included the presence of areas that showed evidence of mice nesting, visible gaps at the back doors that could be sealed or corrected, dead mice found in glue traps and a need to clean shelves more frequently to remove mouse droppings, food and paper.

That report noted improvements, including eliminating nesting areas and better cleaning, referenced in earlier inspections.

Comments at the end of the Feb. 5 report said follow-ups “will be done every two weeks until further notice to ensure cleaning is being done properly and things are progressing.”

The inspection report on Wednesday also required the facility to be corrected within 72 hours.

When contacted Thursday, a representative from Grant’s Hometown Markets, owners of the local Piggly Wiggly stores, said that they did not wish to comment at this time until more information could be collected about the infestation.

Amber Phipps can be reached at aphipps@newsandsentinel.com