COVID-19 In Pittsburgh: About 100 Police Officers Are Quarantining After Multiple Public Safety Members Test Positive
By: KDKA-TV's Jennifer Borrasso
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - About 100 Pittsburgh police officers are in quarantine "out of an abundance of caution" after multiple Pittsburgh Public Safety members tested positive for the virus.
According to Public Safety, as of Tuesday morning nine police officers, nine firefighters, and three EMS members are currently positive for the virus. Pittsburgh Councilman Corey O'Connor told KDKA that one firefighter is recovering in the hospital.
"Multiple others," including about 100 officers in the 1,000-member police force, have been placed into quarantine, Pittsburgh Public Safety said.
Compared to other cities are experiencing, Public Safety says its positive test rates remain "significantly lower."
"When you call 911, rest assured you're going to get the assistance you need," Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich said. "We're going a step above what is required. Our numbers have been so low that we can take these precautions."
O'Connor, the chair of the Public Safety Committee, says he is still concerned.
"We hope that everybody recovers as quickly as possible," O'Connor told KDKA's Jennifer Borrasso. "Right now, it's more precaution than anything just because we are seeing the spread more throughout the county."
Sources told KDKA that the positive cases occurred outside of work.
O'Connor cautions if the staffing shortages reach 20 percent, there will be a problem.
"You always have to look at worst-case scenario," O'Connor said. "There are other municipalities, there's the state, people that can help us if we have to go to different shifts, various things like that."
