Six employees with the Durango Police Department have tested positive for COVID-19, according to a news release issued Friday by the city of Durango.
San Juan Basin Public Health is assisting to mitigate the outbreak, which occurred this week after six “police employees” tested positive for the virus, according to the release.
The police department remains open with no impact on services.
Employees who tested positive have isolated, and other staff members were able to cover shifts as needed, said Brice Current, deputy chief for DPD.
The police department has been strict about wearing masks in the office, separating officer workspaces, sanitizing cars, reporting symptoms and following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, according to the city release. Most officers work in a car by themselves and wear a mask when training. Cleaning crews wipe down the building daily.
“We are still covering the street and balancing the need to contact individuals with the need to keep the city safe,” Current said. “The rate of exposure has not affected our ability to provide service. Officers have been very good at reporting symptoms early and quarantining for the recommended time before returning to work.”
As of Wednesday, La Plata County had 11 active outbreaks, according to Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment data. Others included:
- Cottonwood Inn Rehab and Extended Care Center, three cases since Jan. 14.
- Durango High School, 63 cases since Dec. 2.
- Escalante Middle School, 46 cases since Dec. 2.
- Hilltop House, seven cases since Jan. 14.
- Ignacio Elementary School, 39 cases since Nov. 9.
- Junction Creek Health and Rehab Center, 25 cases since Dec. 20.
- La Plata County Jail, 55 cases since Jan. 20.
- Mercy Hospital, 160 cases since Aug. 17.
- Purgatory Resort – lift operators, 16 cases since Jan. 11.
- Sunshine Gardens West Assisted Living, 25 cases since Dec. 30.
The highly transmissible omicron variant has been attributed to a recent surge in cases, however public health officials said this week the peak appears to have passed.
Vaccines and boosters are widely available and help prevent hospitalization and severe illness if infected, according to the release.
shane@durangoherald.com
