WATERBURY, Conn. — The City of Waterbury saw an uptick of Coronavirus cases and it has even trickled down to the police chief and one of the mayor's aides.
Both tested positive on Sunday and are currently quarantining.
Both Chief Fred Spagnolo and the mayor's aide, David Lepore both have flu-like symptoms.
It started Saturday when Chief Spagnolo said he started feeling the symptoms with a fever, sore and scratchy throat. Both he and Lepore got tested Sunday and results came back positive.
Mayor Neal O'Leary got tested himself and it came back negative.
Chief Spagnolo spoke to FOX61 through Zoom to explain what the next step is for his department.
"We went back through my entire schedule and we notified everyone. We’ve been talking to the medical director here in the city. We’ve provided some testing for certain individuals who will be monitoring their health and quarantining," said Spagnolo.
He said he has been seeing his primary care doctor and the city's medical director who have advised him to drink plenty of fluids and take his vitamins.
"It feels like the flu, I’ve got some chills and then I get hot so I’m kind of spiking, running a temperature all day long," added Spagnolo.
Director of Emergency Management Adam Rinko said Lepore is uncertain where he got it from but those who work closely with him will be tested as well.
In the meantime, Rinko said there are other aides in the office filling in for now.
"Anything at this point would be speculation. Our focus is on the trace contact and getting anybody, he may have been in contact with contacted and any close contact or prolonged contacted tested," added Rinko.
The numbers have also been reflected in the Waterbury school system especially this past weekend.
Since the school year started, many parents and students were given the option to attend in-person learning or virtual.
Sujata Wycoff with Waterbury Public Schools said 60-percent chose virtual.
A staff member at both Bunker Hill and Gilmartin Elementary Schools tested positive for in-person and a student was positive at Driggs Elementary.
Since September 8th, there has been a total of three staff members who have tested positive and as for students, it has been 22 virtual and 12 in-person.
"Many of our positives those students have not been in the building since the first day of school so of course with the in-person positives, we have a very detailed notification process that we actually collaborate on with the city," said Wycoff.
Wycoff stressed every time someone tests positive, a notice goes out to family members to maintain transparency and said overall, the schools are safe as they are constantly cleaned.
