Third coronavirus case confirmed at Fort Benning after employee tests positive
A Fort Benning employee has tested positive for COVID-19, spokesperson Nate Snook announced Tuesday.
This is the third case associated with the installation.
St. Francis-Emory Healthcare received the positive results March 22 from the Columbus Health Department. The individual had contact with a person who previously tested positive for COVID-19, according to an email from Snook.
Since March 16, this third individual has been in self-quarantine at home, which is located off post, and has followed all protective measures as outlined by the CDC. People who have had contact with this person have been notified by the Columbus Health Department and are isolating in their homes.
“The Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning will take the necessary precautions to protect our community to the best of our ability,” Commanding General Maj. Gen. Gary M. Brito said. “We will make decisions based on facts and analysis as the situation continues to change. We will continue to work with our local partners to ensure we do everything we can to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on our force, our families and our communities.”
For Public Health tracking purposes, this person is being counted as a positive case for Muscogee County.
Fort Benning has established an area for personnel who require mandatory 14 day observation. Soldiers arriving for training from higher-risk areas could be placed under a 14-day restriction of movement to monitor their health and ensure they are clear of respiratory symptoms.
Muscogee County and its surrounding area saw a slight uptick in positive coronavirus, or COVID-19, cases in the noon Tuesday update from Georgia’s Department of Public Health.
A total of 14 cases were reported in our immediate area, according to the noon Monday update.
Lee County, Alabama, has 21 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, up four cases from noon Monday.
State health officials report there are now 215 confirmed cases statewide and no deaths related to the coronavirus.
