The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) confirmed the first case of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in an ADPH employee who works at the Bureau of Clinical Laboratories in Montgomery. Laboratory testing confirmed this diagnosis.

The individual had no public interaction on the job and was not working on COVID-19 testing. The employee and staff working in close contact with the employee have been sent home for isolation. In addition to the area where the employee worked, the entire building is being cleaned and disinfected according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regulations.

ADPH has been taking proactive steps to reduce the risk of infection among its workforce. These steps have included encouraging sick employees to stay home, increasing the frequency of cleaning facilities, canceling meetings and staff travel, increasing the use of teleworking among staff, and encouraging social distancing and other preventive measures.