FORT WASHINGTON, Md. — Two Prince George's County sheriff's deputies have tested positive for COVID-19, making four law enforcement officers in the county that have the respiratory illness.
Prince George's County officials said one deputy called out of work on March 25 after not feeling well and did not return.
After taking a test for COVID-19, the deputy tested positive. Officials said the deputy remains at home in quarantine and is under the care of a physician.
A second deputy tested positive for COVID-19 after also feeling ill on March 25. That deputy also remains in quarantine and under the care of a physician.
"The health and safety of our Deputies, agency personnel and the public are our greatest concern while we manage the uncertainty of COVID-19," Sheriff Melvin High said. "We are in contact with the Deputies and are working to ensure they have everything they need to keep their spirits high and support their recovery."
Two Prince George's County police officers have also tested positive for COVID-19.
Deep cleaning of the officers' entire workspace was performed on April 2 to ensure the virus was not spread throughout the building, a release said.
Earlier on April 2, the department announced it's first positive case, an officer who assigned to duties with minimal contact with the public.
According to Prince George's County police, the officer began feeling ill on March 25 and had not been to work since that day. The officer, police said, has been self-quarantined at their home since the discovery of symptoms.
Police said that a group of officers and department employees who were possibly in contact with the employee are now in quarantine.
Officials said that the police department is working closely with the county’s Health Department to conduct an official contact investigation to determine when the officer contracted the virus and to identify those who the officer may have encountered in recent weeks.
"The health and well-being of our officers and the residents of Prince George’s County is of utmost concern to all of us. We are in contact with the infected officer and are working to ensure the officer receives needed care. We are all wishing the officer well in what we hope is a speedy recovery," Prince George's County Police Chief Hank Stawinski said.
Maryland has more than 4,000 coronavirus cases in the state and nearly 100 people have died after contracting the disease.
The state issued a stay-at-home order on March 30 to try to slow the spread of the virus. The highest concentration of cases are in Montgomery and Prince George's counties.
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