Four Test Positive At Fairgrounds Homeless Shelter

Metro Public Health is monitoring a potential outbreak at a temporary homeless shelter, after four people tested positive for COVID-19.

Coronavirus Task Force Chair Alex Jahangir said that when the individuals were screened upon arrival at the fairgrounds shelter, they did not display any symptoms. As soon as one person began showing symptoms, he said, that person and any close contacts were tested.

Four tested positive, and another 13 who were in close contact with the positive individuals are being monitored. All those are now residing in a separate, isolated facility at the fairgrounds.

Metro Health will test staff and the 198 residents in the facility today.

“What we’re doing, testing the entire shelter, is really being over-precautionary, and I think it is important to be very careful around there,” Jahangir said. “But I think the public health system did exactly what public health system needs to do. We quickly identified, we quickly isolated, and we’re quickly testing.”

Metro currently operates three temporary facilities for the homeless to reduce the risk of contagion: One is for those who are well, another is for those isolating, and a third is for those who are actively sick.

The first two facilities are located at the Fairgrounds. Jahangir did not disclose the location of the third facility, but said it was ready to operate should there be a larger outbreak.