Fairfax Fire & Rescue says 7 personnel have tested positive for COVID-19

April 14, 2020 Police and Fire
graphic showing the number of fire and rescue personnel who have tested positive (7), tested positive and full recovered (2) and who are in quarantine (7)
(Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department image)

They are the very definition of “essential” workers, and members of the Fairfax Fire & Rescue Department must now deal with the risk of catching coronavirus while performing their usual everyday duties.

The department reported Tuesday that seven members have tested positive for coronavirus as of Sunday evening, just days after reporting their first worker had contracted the disease. Two of the members have already made a full recovery, the department said in its press release. Seven members of the department are in quarantine at the moment.

Three of the department’s cases were traced to on-duty contacts.

Fairfax Fire and Rescue has seen only a slight slowdown in calls since Gov. Ralph Northam issued his stay-at-home order last month. Last week the department reported 1,609 incidents, which was a 5 percent increase over the previous week. During February the department averaged more 2,000 calls per week.

The Fairfax County Police Department has not reported any positive coronavirus cases among its ranks.

New stats

The Virginia Department of Health is now providing more statistics about coronavirus cases across the state on its website.

In addition to reporting the overall known positive cases, hospitalizations, deaths and tests, the state now has a breakdown of all those categories by health district. Cases are also broken down by race and gender, and the site has an interactive map showing where outbreaks in the state have occurred.

From http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/

Fairfax County, which is the largest jurisdiction in the state, has had the most residents hospitalized from coronavirus with 235, as of Tuesday.

In Fairfax County there have been 16 outbreaks in long-term care facilities. The VDH website does not name the specific locations.

One outbreak has been reported at a correctional facility in the Fairfax County, presumably the Adult Detention Center. The Sheriff’s Office reported one inmate had tested positive there on March 30, and The Washington Post later reported that two deputies working at the jail had also tested positive. Citing privacy concerns, the Sheriff’s Office now says on its website that it will not be announcing new cases in the jail

Current coronavirus cases breakdown:

  • Cases in Virginia: 6,171 (as of April 14)
  • Tests in Virginia: 42,763 (as of April 14)
  • Deaths in Virginia: 154 (as of April 14)
    source: Virginia Department of Health
  • Cases in U.S. 579,005 (as of April 14)
  • Tests in United States: unknown 
  • Deaths in United States: 22,252 (as of April 14)
    source: CDC.gov