Fifteen Missouri state employees tested positive for COVID-19 Monday, prompting over 100 staff members at the Harry S. Truman State Office Building in Jefferson City to undergo testing.
The 15 cases are in one area of the Truman Building. Because of the concentration of positive results, more than 100 employees in the area and close contacts of the infected employees were offered COVID-19 testing, according to Chris Moreland, director of communications for the Office of Administration.
Moreland said close contacts were asked to work remotely pending the results of their COVID-19 tests.
Additional group testing could be offered depending on the results of Tuesday's testing, he said.
Moreland said staff who work in the building were sent a notification alerting them of the outbreak.
The employees will return to work depending on their health and current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, Moreland said.
Missouri's state employee leave guidance states staff must wait 10 days after initial COVID-19 symptoms appear to return to work and should use available leave unless responsibilities can be performed remotely. Those in close contact with infected individuals, according to the guidance, should quarantine for seven to 10 days, depending on the results of a test "no sooner than 48 hours before the expiration of this seven-day period."
Missouri doesn't currently mandate mask-wearing for state employees, and they are not required to disclose their vaccination status.
Gov. Mike Parson in early May instructed all state workers to resume in-person work by May 17.