South Park Cafe, the popular techie hub and South Park lunch spot that just reopened last summer thanks to credit card startup Brex, has closed following a positive COVID-19 test in an employee.

Brex sent out a memo to employees, posted in part to Twitter, explaining the closure and saying the employee was "resting at home." The letter adds that the employee was "likely infected by a sibling who attends one of the schools in San Francisco that was closed."

The company says in a statement to the Chronicle, "We are taking this situation very seriously, and as a result have temporarily closed the San Francisco office, as well as our Oval Room and South Park Cafe, and have asked employees in our SF locations to work from home until further notice." And, Brex adds, "We will continue to work with local officials to... ensure the health and safety of our employees."

The news is likely to send a wave of panic among area workers in SoMa who make a habit of going to South Park Cafe. And this is the first example of what are likely to be many of a popular business having to issue such a warning about potential community spread.

Brex, which last year had a $2.6 billion valuation last year, operates a members-only lounge upstairs from the Cafe called The Oval Room. The credit card, launched by 24-year-old founders Henrique Dubugras and Pedro Franceschi, is a luxury brand that offers members perks that include The Oval Room. And the card is being marketed to other startups as "the smartest corporate card in the room."

It's unclear when the cafe and upstairs lounge may reopen.

Photo: Andrew D./Yelp