Norwalk Mayor Under Quarantine After Exposure To Coronavirus

NORWALK, CT — Mayor Harry Rilling currently is under quarantine after he was recently exposed to a family member who has tested positive for the coronavirus, city officials announced.

Rilling has tested negative for the virus and does not have symptoms, Josh Morgan, Norwalk's communications manager and grants coordinator, told Patch on Monday.

"He has tested negative twice for COVID-19, and will follow the public health guidance and continue to quarantine for the remainder of the week," Morgan said.

Norwalk is in the midst of an uptick in coronavirus cases and the city has been placed on "red alert" status by the state. The designation means that the city's virus transmission rate has exceeded 15 new cases per 100,000 people.

Last week, Norwalk's rate was 18.9, and over the weekend, 82 new coronavirus cases were reported, bringing the city's total since the pandemic started to 2,803, according to officials. No new deaths were reported.

The Hour writes that Rilling entered quarantine Oct. 16. He is not the only Fairfield County leader under quarantine.

Last week, Westport First Selectman Jim Marpe announced that he was under quarantine after possible exposure to the virus. He has tested negative since, but will remain under quarantine to Nov. 1.

Norwalk continues to offer testing for the virus, including drive-thru sessions over the weekend.

"We conducted hundreds of COVID-19 tests this weekend at pop up events," Rilling said in a statement. "We will be planning more evening and weekend events in the future to expand the availability for community members to be tested."