Workers quarantine after virus hits Fort Lauderdale City Hall
A coronavirus outbreak at Fort Lauderdale City Hall has temporarily sidelined the top boss along with several police officers.
City Manager Chris Lagerbloom is among a dozen city employees to test positive for the new coronavirus in recent days.
Nearly 30 employees have been asked to self-quarantine for 14 days as a precaution. That includes 10 police officers and eight firefighters who might have come into contact with an infected individual while responding to calls.
Lagerbloom says he felt sick on Oct. 19 and tested positive the next day.
Mayor Dean Trantalis and his chief of staff were in meetings with Lagerbloom a week ago on Monday, but both have since tested negative for the virus.
“We’re always wearing masks and staying 6 feet from one another when we have in office meetings,” Trantalis said.
“We practice the protocols and it works. We did not contract anything.”
Fort Lauderdale has been keeping a tally of how many employees have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began.
“Since March 16, we have had 161 test positive,” Lagerbloom said. “We have 12 people testing positive for COVID-19 currently: four in police, three in IT, four in my office and one in parks. That’s 12 of over 3,000 employees.”
Lagerbloom, who is working from home, says he’s on the mend and hopes to return to the office later this week or next.
“I’m on the downhill now,” he said.
“Last week I would not have wished it on anybody. It’s not a nice virus.”
Lagerbloom said he can’t be sure where he picked up the virus.
“It could have been the workplace,” he said. “My son has since returned to high school and he also tested positive. He’s 16 so he’s doing great. He just had a cough. He’s now going to school from home.”