Court closed for cleaning, deputies test positive for virus

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (AP) - A Virginia courthouse has closed for cleaning after two deputies tested positive for the coronavirus.

The Portsmouth courthouse will be sanitized before reopening out of an abundance of caution, the Portsmouth Sheriff’s Office said in a post Thursday on Facebook.

The closure comes after a third Portsmouth sheriff’s deputy was tested for the virus and is waiting for their results, Lt. Col. Marvin Waters told news outlets.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.

The courthouse would be closed until April 6, Waters said.

___

Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.