Raleigh DHHS building cleaned, re-opened after Wake County contract worker reported to work with coronavirus symptoms

Employees were lined up outside the building to get their temperatures taken before they were allowed re-entry.

Client appointments were canceled for Monday morning but were re-started at noon upon the completion of the cleaning.

A Wake County contract worker who has now tested positive for COVID-19 showed up to work while exhibiting symptoms, according to county officials.

County officials say the contractor supported public health and clinical services.

Over a dozen other healthcare workers were exposed to the infected person.

The contractor worked at the Wake County Human Services building on Sunnybrook Road in Raleigh. Over 500 people work in the building, each of whom have been notified.

As of Sunday night, there were 16 employees who believed they may have been showing symptoms, but 13 of their tests have come back negative so far.

The other asymptomatic employees are being asked to self-quarantine at home for 14 days.

"There's nothing more important than when you become symptomatic to stay home," said Vickie Adamson, Wake County commissioner. "Call your family physician, isolate yourself until you can find out if it's COVID-19 or a regular virus."

Those symptoms include a bad cough, fever and shortness of breath.

"Once you've knowingly exposed our staff, we'll just not use them again," Adamson said, adding that this was a perfect example of an instance a person should have stayed home rather than risking the health of others.