After Nearly 12 Weeks Without a New Case, Third City Employee Diagnosed With COVID-19

Bloomington, Ind. - After nearly 12 weeks without a new case, a third employee of the City of Bloomington has tested positive for COVID-19. Upon displaying symptoms consistent with COVID-19, an employee of the Bloomington Fire Department was placed on leave last week awaiting test results for coronavirus, the positive result of which was returned today. The City is implementing all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) protocols, and identifying colleagues or members of the public with whom the employee may have come into contact in the past week. Complete contact tracing is in process, and those people with whom the employee may have interacted will be contacted.

The City announced the first confirmed case of COVID-19 among its staff Saturday, March 28, when another firefighter with the Bloomington Fire Department tested positive for coronavirus.  The firefighter has since received medical clearance to return to duty. The second positive case among a city Parks Department employee was announced on April 3. That employee made a full recovery and has returned to their regular duties as well.

The City continues to implement multiple protocols and guidelines aligning with best practices from the CDC and the ISDH to protect the health and safety of employees and the greater community.  The City’s Human Resources Department has apprised all employees of the options for paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave available as of April 1 through the new federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act. 

The City of Bloomington is committed to sharing information about how its operations and workforce are affected by this public health emergency, and will continue to provide updates about confirmed cases among staff while protecting employees’ privacy.