Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputy tests positive for coronavirus after Orlando vacation
A Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputy has tested positive for the coronavirus after spending time in Orlando last week.
Now seven other deputies, including his wife, are in self-isolation because of their exposure, although none of them have developed any COVID-19 symptoms, according to sheriff’s office spokesman Randy Warren.
The infected deputy began showing mild symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, when he came back from Orlando last week. He decided to get tested on March 21. On Monday, those results came back positive.
In addition to the deputy’s wife who was on vacation with him, the other deputies who have gone into isolation include four deputies who share office space with him, a deputy who had brief contact with him last week and another deputy who was on the same vacation.
Bradenton and Palmetto police departments each have one officer in self-isolation as a result of exposure to COVID-19 but neither has developed any symptoms.
Sarasota County Fire Department made public that one of their firefighters had tested positive Friday, shortly after it was confirmed by the health department. That firefighter has been home since March 22 when he began to show COVID-19 symptoms during a shift.
Another 34 firefighters in Sarasota County are under self-isolation because some type of exposure, including three who were exposed to the firefighter who tested positive.
In Manatee County, no other first responders are reported to have tested positive.
As of Friday, there were six paramedics who are under self-isolation because of their high-risk exposure to patients who have tested positive, according to EMS Chief James Crutchfield. Another eight paramedics are taking extra precautions by wearing surgical masks because of medium-risk exposures to potential cases who have been transported.
Among the 11 fire districts and departments in Manatee County, there are nine employees who have had to enter into self-isolation because of some type of exposure.
