Brookhaven’s City Hall employees have been asked to “self-quarantine or self-monitor” after a city administrator tested positive for the coronavirus Friday evening, authorities said.
In a tweet, officials said City Hall would be closed to the public until March 30 after the employee notified management of the positive test.
Additionally, Brookhaven Mayor John Ernst asked anyone who visited City Hall since March 9 to self-quarantine or self-monitor in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus.
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“Over the last three weeks, city leadership has been preparing for this situation,” Ernst said in a statement. “The health of our employees, their families and the general public is our highest priority. Closing City Hall is an extreme step, but in the light of the circumstances, an easy call to make. Our thoughts and prayers are with our employee stricken with this virus. Meanwhile, we must be vigilant in preventing its spread. Not only are we directing staff to self-quarantine or self-monitor using CDC instructions, we are also advising anyone who has visited Brookhaven City Hall since March 9 to do the same.”
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Authorities said the employee who tested positive had no face-to-face contact with the general public. They began experiencing symptoms on Monday and were sent home. The employee was subsequently hospitalized before testing positive for COVID-19 on March 13.
“Because CDC guidance for self-quarantine is 14 days from the first suspected exposure, the decision was made to close City Hall until Monday, March 30,” city officials wrote in a statement. “At this time, all other city facilities will remain open to employees and employees assigned to non-City Hall work locations, including police and parks and recreation, should report to work as scheduled.”
Since March 9, employees have been working to sanitize “high-touch surface areas” throughout the government building three times a week. The cleaning efforts will continue as City Hall remains closed.
As of Friday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Georgia was 42, but that number is expected to rise as more people get tested.
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