Westmoreland Commissioner Doug Chew has coronavirus; some courthouse offices closed

Westmoreland County Commissioner Doug Chew tested positive for coronavirus, causing county leaders to shut down their courthouse offices and cancel three public meetings this week.

Chew, a first-term Republican from Hempfield, confirmed the diagnosis in text message Tuesday morning.

“I was last in the commissioners’ suite on Wednesday afternoon/evening. I was not in the courthouse Thursday onward. I started with symptoms late Sunday, early Monday. I tested yesterday and received results at midnight,” Chew said.

Chew’s diagnosis prompted the county’s human resources office to begin contact tracing to determine who was potentially exposed to the virus at the courthouse.

Commissioners shut down their first-floor offices at the courthouse and directed all staff there to quarantine at home and be tested for coronavirus if necessary. Each commissioner works directly with a two-person staff as well as the county’s chief clerk and receptionist.

Commissioner Sean Kertes said he was tested Tuesday morning and received a negative result.

“We’re at the point now where anyone who was in contact with Commissioner Chew on Friday or over the weekend needs to be tested.”

Commissioner Gina Cerilli said she also was tested and is awaiting the results.

Chew and other commissioners routinely wear masks in public, and masks are required for everyone in the courthouse.

Chew said he doesn’t know where he might have been exposed to the virus and did not attend President Trump’s campaign rally Sept. 3 in Unity.

“I avoided any large rallies,” Chew said.

State Sen. Kim Ward, R-Hempfield, said Chew attended an outdoor fundraiser at a Greensburg restaurant on Oct. 1 which she hosted for her re-election campaign. That event was two days before Chew first experienced virus symptoms.

Westmoreland County Republican Committee Chairman Bill Bretz confirmed Chew attended a picnic at Oak Hollow Park in North Huntingdon on Oct. 3. About 30 members of the party’s North Huntingdon and Penn Township committees who also attended the event were notified of Chew’s diagnosis, he said.

Commissioners were scheduled to conduct a public meeting Tuesday morning to review items under consideration for Thursday’s voting session. Those meetings, as well as a meeting of the county elections board, on which the commissioners serve, were abruptly canceled.

The elections board was expected to consider potential policy changes for the upcoming presidential election such as whether drop boxes for mail-in ballots would be placed in multiple locations across the county.

Kertes said officials still are working through when and how those meetings can be rescheduled.

“We will review protocols to see how all of this can work,” Kertes said.

Officials said all other courthouse offices will remain open for now. Temperature checks of everyone who enters the courthouse are expected to be implemented today and continue for the next several weeks.