16 Allegheny Co. sheriff's deputies self-isolating after possible coronavirus exposure

More than a dozen Allegheny County sheriff’s deputies are self-isolating after a deputy who might have been exposed to the coronavirus went to work with symptoms Wednesday morning.

A deputy’s son’s girlfriend and mother recently traveled to Spain, Chief Deputy Kevin Kraus said. While the deputy was out of town over the weekend, the girlfriend was at the family’s home. Though the deputy was never in contact with his son’s girlfriend, he called his doctor, who instructed him not to come to the physician’s office.

“The deputy took precaution and he used a sick day on Tuesday,” Kraus said. The deputy developed symptoms but “made the decision to come to report to work on Wednesday,” he said.

Kraus said the deputy was in the sheriff’s office for about 10 to 12 minutes before he was ordered to leave. He came into contact with 15 other deputies during that time. Those deputies were sent home out of an abundance of caution, he said.

The symptomatic deputy drove to a testing site, but Kraus said it will take three to four days to get results.

None of the 15 deputies sent home was showing symptoms of illness, he said, and they will be paid while they are off.

Kraus said the temporary loss of 16 deputies has not affected the sheriff’s day-to-day operations.