A Denver International Airport maintenance employee has tested positive for the new coronavirus, the latest case to hit a major hub as airports around the country deal with the global outbreak.
The positive case comes as state health officials Wednesday announced 16 new cases of COVID-19 — the highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the new virus —- in Colorado, marking the first sign of limited community spread in the state.
It is unclear whether the DIA employee is included in the 16 cases.
The employee is symptomatic and isolated from others, Denver city officials said in a news release. No other employees are in isolation or quarantine, and the affected employee was not exposed to passengers and had limited contact with fellow employees, representatives for the city and airport said.
The Denver Department of Public Health & Environment is tracing all contacts the employee may have had.
Several Denver first responders have been notified of a recent exposure during a routine response to an individual who later tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the city said. The individuals involved have received guidance from health officials, ranging from self-monitoring for symptoms to 14-day restrictions on working.
“Our priority is to ensure the health and well-being of our community, and that includes City and County of Denver employees,” Bob McDonald, director of the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment, said in a statement. “Itap important to remember that this is a dynamic situation that requires tremendous flexibility in response. Our plans and tactics will change as the situation evolves and we have new information and strategies.”
The Denver case is the latest to affect U.S. airports as the virus spreads to new communities.
in San Jose, Calif., have tested positive for COVID-19, coming into contact with thousands of passengers, NPR reported.
Screeners at Los Angeles International Airport are in after two Department of Homeland Security workers contracted the virus while performing screenings on passengers arriving from China, according to the Los Angeles Daily News.
