Coronavirus: Jewish Education Center Staffer Tests Positive

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — A staff member at the Jewish Education Center (JEC) has tested positive for the new coronavirus, according to the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. The school will be closed for two weeks as a precaution.

The staff member is quarantined, a Federation spokesperson told Patch.

"In the meantime, we will continue to work closely with our local beneficiary agencies - and in concert with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health - to address concerns and care for our community members," the spokesperson said.

The staffer attended the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee conference in Washington, D.C., Gov. Mike DeWine said on Monday afternoon.

The staff member rode a bus to the conference. That bus was shared by other Northeast Ohioans, including JEC students, who have since been asked to self-quarantine, the Cleveland Jewish News reported.

Ohio's first confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19, were discovered this week. All three infected people live in Cuyahoga County, health officials announced on Monday afternoon.

Two students at Solon High School were also asked to self-quarantine after possibly coming in contact with COVID-19.

There are currently 755 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus in the U.S. and 22 related deaths as of Tuesday afternoon, according to Johns Hopkins University.