4 Port Neches police officers test for COVID-19; Cases in PA & Groves jump 6
Published 7:51 pm Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Port Neches Police Chief Paul Lemoine
PORT NECHES — Four Port Neches Police officers are either being treated for or recovering from COVID-19.
Police Chief Paul Lemoine said the officers are on the same shift and as of Tuesday one is off quarantine but waiting for test results, two are being treated and one was recently diagnosed.
The illness began five to six weeks ago when an officer told Lemoine he or she did not feel well. The officer had fever the next day and went to the doctor and was negative for strep throat and the flu, a week later learning they were negative for COVID-19.
This officer, Officer A, returned to work with the negative diagnosis and had only felt bad the one day or night, Lemoine said, adding he doesn't know if Officer A had a false negative test or the test wasn't administered correctly.
A week or so later Officer B told Lemoine he felt bad and had fever. This officer's test came back positive and his or her quarantine ended Monday. He is now without symptoms but needs to wait on a second test.
Officer C felt OK at work but two or so hours afterward called Lemoine to say he or she had fever and was told to stay home and go to the doctor the next day. Two days later the officer had a positive test result.
Officer D had had some fever but otherwise felt fine and did all the normal activities he or she would do at home, such as cutting grass. The officer was tested and it came back positive.
And of the four officers, one was tested at the doctor's office, one at the airport testing site and two at an urgent care.
Lemoine said officers are checked for fever several times during shifts, and social distancing is practiced. In addition, the police station has been disinfected and continues to be, patrol vehicles are cleaned at the beginning of the shift, after contact with the public and at the end of the shift.
The lobby at the station has plexiglass and the clerks behind the glass clean these throughout the day.
Lemoine said he has been tested twice with one negative result and is awaiting the results of a second test.
More positives
Also on Tuesday, health officials confirmed a combined six more positive cases for COVID-19 in South and Mid-County residents.
The City of Port Arthur Health Department received confirmation of four additional Port Arthur residents who tested positive for coronavirus disease. One individual is a male between the age range 35-40, and the other three individuals are females in the age ranges of 25-30, 40-45 and 75-80.
For confidentiality purposes, the PAHD is not releasing any additional information to identify these individuals. This brings the total to 74 who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Port Arthur.
The Port Arthur and Jefferson County Health Departments also received confirmation of two additional positive COVID-19 cases in residents of Groves. One individual is a female between the age ranges of 70-75 and the other individual is a male between the age ranges of 70-75.
This brings the total to 18 individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 for the City of Groves.
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