RICHMOND, Va. – An 19th GRTC employee has tested positive for COVID-19 since March, the transit company announced on Tuesday.
The case is GRTC's first positive COVID-19 case for the month of August.
Officials say the employee was last on duty at GRTC on August 15 and has been quarantined.
GRTC says the employee has public-facing service functions, but they are unaware of any workplace connection.
"As positive cases are identified, GRTC proactively notifies, quarantines, and tests any possible contact. This is in accordance with guidance provided by the Virginia Department of Health," said a GRTC spokesperson.
GRTC says they will continue to host more voluntary, free COVID-19 testing events for staff, conducted by SecureHealth, a regionally owned and operated urgent care provider.
COVID-19 Confirmed Staff Cases To Date:
1st Case: Reported April 6. Employee has recovered and is back at work.
False 2nd Case: Reported April 29, but later determined on May 6 with secondary testing to be a false-positive. Employee, a bus Operator, was cleared by the Virginia Department of Health and is back at work.
Actual 2nd Case: Initial results reported to GRTC on May 3 as an asymptomatic positive test. Secondary test results received on May 6 confirmed the positive result. Employee was on paid sick leave starting on the initial test date of May 2. Employee is a recent hire and has not been involved in public bus service. Employee has recovered and is back at work.
3rd Case: Initial results reported to GRTC on May 2 as negative test. The GRTC employee, a bus Operator, exhibited asthma symptoms on May 7, was relieved from duty to receive medical attention, was re-tested and was reported positive for COVID-19. Employee was treated in a local hospital due to complications from underlying health conditions. Employee has recovered and is back at work.
4th Case: Initial results reported May 6 as an asymptomatic positive test. The employee, a bus Operator, has been on paid sick leave since May 6. Secondary test results were received the afternoon of May 8 and confirmed the positive results. The employee was treated overnight at a local hospital and released. Employee has recovered and is back at work.
5th Case: Potential contact with 3rd Case noted May 7. The employee, a bus Operator, was on paid sick leave since May 8, was tested, and confirmed positive for COVID-19 on May 13. Employee has recovered and is back at work.
6th Case: The employee, a bus Operator, was tested on Sunday, May 24 after experiencing mild symptoms starting on Saturday, May 23. The positive test result was returned on Tuesday, May 26. The employee had not been at work since Monday, May 18 and is not suspected to have contracted COVID-19 while on duty. Employee has recovered and is back at work.
7th Case: Confirmed May 27. Case 7 is a part-time bus Operator who has not been at work since May 20. Case 7 is currently quarantined.
8th Case: Confirmed May 30. The employee, a bus Operator, was traced by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) as a likely connection to Case 7. The last time the Operator was on duty was May 27. All identified likely contacts with Cases 7 and 8 were contacted, quarantined, and tested in accordance with guidance from VDH. Employee has recovered and is back at work.
9th Case: Confirmed June 1. The employee, a bus Operator, is likely connected to Case 6. The last time the Operator was on duty was May 27. Case 9 was tested on May 28 and received results June 1. Employee has recovered and is back at work.
10th Case: Confirmed June 3. The employee, a bus Operator, is not believed to be connected to any previous staff cases. The last time Case 10 was on duty was May 27; testing occurred on May 30. Employee has recovered and is back at work.
11th Case: Confirmed June 4. The employee, a bus Operator, is not believed to be connected to any previous staff cases. The last time Case 11 was on duty was June 1; testing occurred on June 2. Case 11 is currently quarantined.
12th Case: Confirmed late June 4. The employee is not believed to be connected to any previous staff cases. The last date Case 12 was on duty was June 2; testing occurred on June 4. Case 12 was treated in a hospital because of underlying health conditions. Employee remains on leave.
13th Case: Confirmed June 7. The employee is not believed to be connected to any previous staff cases. The last date Case 13 was on duty was June 5; testing occurred on June 5. Case 13 is currently quarantined.
14th Case: Confirmed June 13. The employee, a bus Operator, is not believed to be connected to any previous staff cases. The last date Case 14 was on duty was June 6; testing occurred on June 11. Case 14 is currently quarantined.
15th Case: Confirmed July 20. The employee was last on duty at GRTC on July 10. The employee has no public-facing service functions. Employee has recovered and is back at work.
16th Case: Confirmed July 20. The employee is a contractor for GRTC and has no public-facing service functions. Employee has recovered and is back at work.
17th Case: Confirmed July 26. The employee was last on duty at GRTC on July 23 and has been quarantined from GRTC with very mild symptoms. The employee has no public-facing service functions.
18th Case: Confirmed July 30. This employee is a contractor for GRTC, was last on duty at GRTC on July 23, and has been quarantined from GRTC. This employee has public-facing service functions, and this case is not suspected in connection with any other employee or contractor cases.
