Coronavirus: USPS employee in Washington state tests positive for virus

This illustration provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in January 2020 shows the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

Credit: CDC via AP, File

Credit: CDC via AP, File

This illustration provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in January 2020 shows the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

KIRO-TV found out Saturday evening that a Seattle area U.S. Postal Service employee tested positive for the coronavirus.

A corporate communications spokesperson said the employee works at a Seattle Network Distribution Center located in Federal Way, Washington.

The Network Distribution Center is a mail processing plant that distributes USPS marketing mail and package services in piece and bulk form and does not handle letter mail. No mail is delivered from the facility.

The spokesperson said USPS has been consulting with the county health department and was informed that the risk to other employees is low.

KIRO also was told that USPS will continue to follow the recommended strategies from the county and federal health officials.

Below is a statement from a USPS corporate communications field representative from Washington.

“The Network Distribution Center does not handle letter mail – only parcels. No mail is delivered from the facility. It is sorted and transported to individual post offices, from which the parcels are delivered to customers. The employee in question works within the facility. The employee would have some contact with other employees in the work environment.”

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