Three at East St. Louis City Hall test positive for coronavirus
East St. Louis City Hall closed its doors at noon Monday after three employees reported they had tested positive for COVID-19.
Mayor Robert Eastern III confirmed Tuesday by phone that he is among those infected.
City Manager Brooke Smith issued a statement confirming the cases.
Smith said she learned about the first positive case from an employee on Sunday and immediately had the building sanitized.
“The next day I was informed of two more positive cases,” she said. “After consulting with the council and East Side Health District, I made the decision to close City Hall immediately.”
Smith recommended that city employees and anyone who visited City Hall get tested as soon as possible.
“It is recommended that anyone that was in the municipal building within the last week get tested,” Smith said.
Free testing is available at the Jackie Joyner Kersee Community Center on Argonne Drive in East St. Louis
“While I realize this may be an inconvenience to some, the health of our employees and citizens is paramount,” Smith said.
City Hall will remain closed through the week, Smith said. City leaders will determine whether an extension of the closure is warranted on Friday.
The number of cases reported in the metro-east increased Monday, including a record 45 new positive tests in Madison County. St. Clair County saw an increase of 54 new cases Monday.
St. Clair County now has 2,602 cases of coronavirus and 145 deaths, leading the metro-east in both statistics.
This story was originally published July 14, 2020 at 1:11 PM.
