Mayor Bartie says he’s not showing COVID-19 symptoms after 2 at conference test positive

Published 2:39 pm Thursday, March 19, 2020

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Two individuals who attended a National League of Cities function in Washington, D.C., from March 8-11 tested positive for coronavirus.

The NLC notified attendees, vendors and the conference hotel of the Congressional City Conference, including Port Arthur Mayor Thurman Bartie. He said Thursday he did not believe he was in a session where the two individuals were, although he did not know who has tested for COVID-19.

“I know who I interacted with,” Bartie said. “I’m asymptomatic right now.”

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The two positive cases involved attendees from Colorado, the NLC said in an online question-and-answer post. The two attendees, whom the NLC did not identify due to privacy laws, attended a Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Meeting titled “NLCU: Leading Through Disruption” on March 8; Western Municipal Association Meeting workshop “Asking Congress for Transportation Wins, Colorado Issues Briefing” on March 9; meetings on Capitol Hill with local delegation on March 10 and 11 and a meeting with state delegation on March 11.

“I was not in the same meeting as the ones who tested positive,” Bartie said.

The NLC requests it be alerted by any attendee who tests positive for COVID-19.

Bartie said he has not taken a test yet for coronavirus.

The Port Arthur Health Department does not have a target date for the arrival of test kits, but some primary care providers in Port Arthur and surrounding communities do have the ability to test, health officials say.

Bartie said he doesn’t feel the need to self-quarantine, although those who tested positive decided to quarantine themselves.

Since his return from Washington, Bartie has been hesitant to shake hands or tap fists with others but has exchanged elbow taps upon greetings.

“If I develop a symptom, I will go in immediately,” Bartie said. “Until I do, I’m trying to perform my duties as Mayor of Port Arthur.”

The Port Arthur City Council is holding an emergency meeting at 11 a.m. Friday at city hall.

About I.C. Murrell

I.C. Murrell was promoted to editor of The News, effective Oct. 14, 2019. He previously served as sports editor since August 2015 and has won or shared eight first-place awards from state newspaper associations and corporations. He was born in Memphis, Tennessee, grew up mostly in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

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