A city of Canby employee tested positive for Covid-19 this week, the Canby Now Podcast has confirmed.
Interim City Administrator Amanda Zeiber said the city was informed of the result at approximately 8:30 p.m. Thursday, and shared the diagnosis in an email to other staff that same night.
The employee worked at the Canby Civic Center, which has been closed to the public for about 10 weeks, and has had “very limited contact” with other staff during the past two to three weeks, according to the email.
“I know this is a scary time and amplifies fears that people might already have,” Zeiber said in the message to city staff. “I personally am here to support you and I appreciate all your efforts to continue to serve the City’s mission to the best of your ability in light of a positive test.”
The employee was off-duty when they noticed symptoms consistent with the novel coronavirus. They are recovering at home and have not been hospitalized, according to Zeiber.
Other employees who had contact with them over the previous two weeks were notified by phone and have also been directed to self-isolate for 14 days.
The Canby Civic Center has been closed to the public since March 13, though essential city services have continued. Administrative employees have continued to work from home and from City Hall, as needed.
The building, which also contains the library, is being deep-cleaned, disinfected and sanitized Friday, Zeiber said in a press release that afternoon.
“These are scary times for everyone, and we will continue to monitor the situation,” she said. The city is declining to provide additional details out of respect for the employee’s privacy.
The diagnosis comes on the heels of the recent news that Canby had seen only one new case in the two weeks prior to Sunday, May 24, believed to be a resident at Country Side Living.
That was also the weekend Clackamas County began the limited reopening of restaurants, bars, personal services and other businesses from the Covid-19 shutdowns.
