3 Newport Firefighters Test Positive For Coronavirus

NEWPORT, RI — Three members of the Newport Fire Department tested positive for the new coronavirus, the city announced Wednesday. All are recovering at home and have not been identified for privacy reasons.

The department has been taking extra precautions since the beginning of the outbreak, the city said, requiring personnel screenings at the beginning of shifts, enforcing strict social distancing and disinfecting surfaces frequently. The three cases did not impact the department's emergency readiness, the city assured residents.

"As a city we are acutely aware of the challenge posed by COVID-19 and are acting out of an abundance of caution in following Centers for Disease Control and Prevnetion and hode Island Department of Health guidelines," the release read in part. "The City was fully prepared for this likelihood and will remain vigilant in ensuring the continued health and safety of the community throughout the current outbreak."

All Newport residents are reminded to follow the state and city's social distacning guidelines to help slow the spread of the virus: staying home as much as possible, keeping six feet away from others in public and avoiding gatherings of five people or more. More information on COVID-19 in Newport is available on the city's website.

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