Second Rio Vista firefighter tests positive for COVID-19
The agency says they believe the dual infections are related.
(Photo via Rio Vista Fire Department Facebook page)
A second firefighter with the Rio Vista Fire Department has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to a statement by the agency on Monday.
The second positive case comes three days after a preliminary infection within the fire agency in the small Solano County community.
In a statement published on Monday, a fire official said the agency has reason to believe the two infections are related because both firefighters worked the same shift.
“Unfortunately, the results of the second test were delayed due to a lack of availability of rapid tests for first responders,” the agency said.
Earlier this month, Rio Vista’s fire chief said his department was suspending non-essential services as Solano County continued to experience a dramatic rise in COVID-19 infections.
“We are a small organization, and if even one firefighter got ill, it could result in negative impacts to the fire department and threaten our ability to respond to emergency incidents,” Jeff Armstrong, Rio Vista’s fire chief, wrote at the time.
On Monday, a fire spokesperson said Rio Vista’s department remains fully staffed and available to respond to emergencies around-the-clock.
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