Possible COVID-19 exposure leads to temporary closure of Genesee County courtroom – MLive.com

FLINT, MI A Genesee County district courtroom was closed this week to allow for disinfecting following the discovery that a judge and his staff had been potentially exposed to COVID-19.

District Judge Herman Marable Jr. told MLive-The Flint Journal Thursday, Oct. 1, that a litigant who appeared before the court Sept. 22 had tested positive for the virus.

On Sept. 29, Marable received a phone call from the court administrator.

She told me that she had been contacted by the health department, Marable said.

The district court administrator as well as the Genesee County health director could not immediately be reached for comment.

It was reported Sept. 22 that six health department employees were in quarantine after one of them had tested positive for COVID-19.

The health department and district court share space within the McCree Health and Human Services Building.

Marable said he has not been made aware of the infected persons identity due to privacy laws.

I pray that he or she have a speedy recovery, he commented, expressing some disappointment at missing a fundraiser Thursday night for his election run to fill a 7th Circuit Court seat. We are reminded once again that many in Genesee County have suffered and died from COVID, and that this horrible virus continues to impact our families and our society.

Marable noted he and his court recorder have been tested and were negative for the virus.

We are feeling fine, and we have not had any symptoms, he said. I am thankful for the negative test result, and we look forward to returning to work next week when officials allow the re-opening of my courtroom.

The courts had been closed for several months due to the ongoing pandemic, with jury trials just starting back up a little more than two weeks ago.

RELATED: Jury trials resume in Genesee County with COVID-19 safety measures in place

Restrictions remain in place such as the number of people allowed in courtrooms as well as plastic screens put up, required use of masks and social distancing.

Marable thanked his staff and fellow judges for their continued work amid the current situation.

He expects his courtroom to reopen early next week, but Marable expressed some uneasiness with the situation that has unfolded.

The courts were closed for almost 100 days and were not in control of the virus, he said. I dont know what the future is going to hold in terms of what happens. They say the numbers are creeping up. We have to make sure that we protect the public and the staff.

Figures from the Genesee County Health Departments website on COVID-19 cases in the area show a total of 3,961 confirmed cases and 281 deaths.

The seven-day average for Genesee County shows 41 COVID-19 cases each day, up from 29 cases each day the prior week. The most recent COVID-19 death for the county was reported on Sept. 8.

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Possible COVID-19 exposure leads to temporary closure of Genesee County courtroom - MLive.com