Possible coronavirus exposure at Cape council meeting announced

Cape Girardeau municipal officials announced Friday evening those at a City Council meeting on July 6 may have been exposed to COVID-19.

A social media post on the city's Facebook page indicates a city employee who attended the meeting tested positive for the disease associated with coronavirus.

"We have been in close contact with the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center regarding any possible public exposure from this meeting. Since the employee was masked most of the time, and a majority of the remaining attendees were both more than 6 feet away and masked, there is very little risk of public exposure to the novel coronavirus from this staff member. We are not aware that the employee had direct contact with any attendees at the meeting," the post states.

The post notes all municipal staff and council members who had "prolonged contact" with the employee have been notified of the possible exposure.

The post states those who attended the meeting "are not at any known risk" of contracting the virus. However, a commenter on the post, Renee Harper, contested that point.

"Thank you for letting us know!," she wrote. "I was there. But ... I don't see how you can possibly say that no one that attended is at risk when someone there had it. Makes no sense to me."

The exposure in a public place comes after a number of businesses and other public facilities have acknowledged possible COVID-19 exposures at those facilities in recent days and weeks. It also comes days before a mandatory face-covering order takes effect in Cape Girardeau County.

Anyone with questions, the post states, should contact the city manager's office, (573) 339-3620.