York County Sheriff: 1 employee positive for coronavirus, among five in quarantine
An employee of the York County Sheriff’s Office has tested positive for coronavirus, Sheriff Kevin Tolson said Friday afternoon.
The one person with COVID-19 is one of five sheriff’s office employees who are separately quarantined, Tolson said.
“We have five employees currently in quarantine, and one of those has tested positive and is feeling normal at this time,” Tolson said. “It is unknown if the infected employee contracted the virus as a result of his employment.”
Another employee has finished quarantine after a COVID-19 test was negative, Tolson said.
The sheriff’s office has about 400 employees in enforcement, detention, and administration, Tolson said. He declined to say in which division the employee works.
There have been no reported coronavirus cases in the jail inmate population, Tolson said. The jail has about 250 inmates, according to Friday’s statistics. The jail inmate population has dropped by about 200 people since emergency court hearings started three weeks ago amid coronavirus concerns, according to statics and court officials.
Tolson and several other top officials in York, Chester and Lancaster counties have asked South Carolina health and government leaders for more specific information about positive cases to protect first responders from potential exposure and infection. S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster this week signed an executive order that allows 911 dispatchers to ask callers questions pertaining to coronavirus or potential exposure, The Herald reported on Monday.
Tolson reiterated the need for the public to be truthful with law enforcement and all first responders about possible COVID-19 exposure.
“We ask the public to heed the governor’s advice to limit contact as much as possible and limit activities to those that are necessary in the coming weeks,” Tolson said.
York County has had 73 positive coronavirus cases amid 1,700 positive cases statewide, DHEC officials announced Friday.
No first responders in Chester County had tested positive as of Friday, said Shane Stuart Chester County supervisor. Nine first responders, including firefighters and EMS workers, were tested after exposure to the an early positive COVID-19 case in Chester County in March, Stuart said. All nine were quarantined for 14 days after being tested, Stuart said.
Chester County has had seven positive Covid-19 cases, according to DHEC.
Darren Player, Lancaster County Emergency Management Director, said he has not been advised of any Lancaster County first responders who have tested positive. Two firefighters were placed on administrative leave after potential exposure after responding to a traffic collision in March, Player said. A person involved in the crash told emergency officials during the response that he had been tested for coronavirus, so the two firefighters were placed on leave, Player said.
Lancaster County has had 31 reported positive coronavirus cases, according to DHEC.
This story was originally published April 3, 2020 at 7:11 PM.
