On Wednesday, Oct. 21, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department announced the death of a sheriff’s deputy and issued a warning for people who may have been exposed to the coronavirus.
The department didn’t name the deputy in the press release, however, it noted that the deputy worked a full day shift as a bailiff at the Guilford County Courthouse in downtown Greensboro on Monday, Oct. 19 – and, while on duty, spent time in Courtrooms 1C, 1D, 2B and 2C.
On Tuesday, Oct. 20, the deputy reported for work as a bailiff at the courthouse. The bailiff, however, felt ill and left. Later in the day, the deputy went to an unnamed area hospital for medical care and was admitted.
On Wednesday morning, the deputy passed away. Part of the admission process for the hospital called for a COVID-19 test and the test result for that deputy came back positive.
That’s the reason that, on the evening of Oct. 21, the Sheriff’s Department put out a press release making the public aware of the death and warning those who may have come into contact with the deputy that they should get tested for the coronavirus.
Guilford County Sheriff Danny Rogers expressed the department’s sadness over the death.
“Today, our team suffered a terrible loss,” he stated in the Wednesday evening press release. “No words can adequately express our sadness.”
According to department officials, no medical official has so far linked the positive COVID-19 test to the deputy’s death.
“However, as a public safety precaution and after consulting with our County public health officials,” the press release states, “Sheriff Rogers is issuing this press release to alert any members of the public who may have been in Greensboro Courtrooms 1C, 1D, 2B or 2C on Monday, October 19th, to get tested for COVID-19 and be hyper vigilant for any COVID-19-related symptoms.”
The release adds that, to find testing locations in Guilford County, people can visit HealthyGuilford.com.
The department plans to release the name of the deputy “once complete next-of-kin notification has been confirmed.”
Theirs is a tough and thankless job. We have real men and women who take it seriously. We should support them.