14th Port Authority employee tests positive for covid-19

A Port Authority of Allegheny County bus driver is being treated at an area hospital for covid-19, bringing the agency’s total number of employees who have tested positive to 14, the agency said Sunday.

The employee, who works at the East Liberty garage, last worked on May 5, according to a statement. The driver is the third employee at the East Liberty garage to test positive. The previous cases were reported on April 10 and March 26.

Upon learning of the case late Saturday night, the public transit agency mobilized a maintenance team to disinfect vehicles the employee had most recently operated and parts of the building where the employee was known to have been. An outside company will be brought in to disinfect the building Sunday.

Starting this week, all employees at the East Liberty garage will undergo temperature checks for at least 14 days as they enter the facility. Any employee whose temperature is above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit will be sent home with pay.

The Port Authority has sought to minimize the spread of the virus by disinfecting vehicles more frequently, promoting social distancing, having customers board from the back doors, limiting the number of passengers on vehicles, and asking riders to cover their faces when riding.

As of Friday, 39 of the agency’s more than 2,600 employees were being held out of work pending covid-19 testing. 89 employees had tested negative.