Seton Hill Child Care: Coronavirus case discovered after closing

A person associated with Seton Hill Child Services Inc.’s Greensburg Center, which has been closed since March 18, tested positive for the coronavirus, a Child Services official said Friday.

Seton Hill Child Care representatives were not notified that the person tested positive for the coronavirus until after the center closed all seven of its locations, said Larry Jesky, president of Seton Hill Child Care’s board of directors.

Jesky said in an email that the organization closed its locations and its central office, following the guidance of Gov. Wolf and his directive to close non life-sustaining businesses in an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus that causes covid-19. The center’s staff and families were told of the situation.

Jesky did not state how the person was associated with the center or the exact date the organization was notified that the person had coronavirus.

”Due to our closure, there is no continuing risk of exposure with staff or families,” Jesky stated.

Jeslky said the Seton Hill Child Care policy prohibits him from releasing any other details.

The organization advised any staff and families that experiences any possible covid-19 symptoms to contact their primary care physician immediately.

The state Department of Human Services, which licenses child care businesses in the state, directed child care operators to notify the department and state health officials if they have a case of coronavirus.

Human Services Secretary Theresa Miller said in a teleconference call with the news media Friday that her office has not received any reports of a coronavirus case at any of the licensed child care facilities. The child care businesses are able to remain open during the governor’s order shutting down non-essential businesses, if they obtain waivers from the human services department. Those centers are permitted to serve only children whose parents are deemed to be working in essential life-sustaining businesses.