The City of Bloomington reports no new COVID-19 employee cases, first known COVID-19 death

BLOOMINGTON – No positive results of COVID-19 viral tests have been reported by City of Bloomington i employees in the four weeks since the May 13 announcement

However, the City received information this week that COVID-19 was among the causes of death of a recently deceased employee. This is the first known COVID-19-related death of a city worker. 

Since the start of the pandemic, 85 positive COVID-19 viral test results have been reported by City workers, including those employed by the municipal corporations that operate the water utility (City of Bloomington Utilities), transit system (Bloomington Transit), and public housing (Bloomington Housing Authority). 

Sixteen total cases were reported during the eight months from March through October 2020.

  • That monthly rate rose more than eight-fold in November, when 17 cases were reported within the single month, and rose another 29 percent in December (22 cases).  
  • January saw the monthly rate decline 40 percent to 13 positive cases; February’s four employee cases represented a 69% decline from January’s monthly rate, and the three cases reported by employees in March marked a subsequent 25 percent decline. 
  • The declining trend reversed in April when seven cases caused the monthly rate to rise 133 percent from the March level but declined again by 57 percent in May when three cases were reported.  
  • Thus far, no cases have been reported in June.

Data about COVID-19 cases among City employees, in the county, the state and the nation are presented at this online dashboard. Other City-related updates about the COVID-19 pandemic are assembled here.  

The City of Bloomington is committed to sharing information about how its operations and workforce are affected by this public health emergency, and will continue to provide weekly updates about confirmed cases among staff while protecting employees’ privacy.