Sep 9, 2020 3 min read

Washington & Jefferson College on Wednesday said 26 students have been asked to return home for violating its COVID-19 safety guidelines since classes began Aug. 24.

Meanwhile, two Washington County magisterial offices were also closed Wednesday because of concerns about the novel coronavirus, but one reopened that afternoon.

The county courthouse remained open to the public but was deep-cleaned after District Attorney Gene Vittone notified Court Administrator Patrick Grimm that a member of the prosecutor’s office tested positive for the virus.

The college did not reveal what rules were broken to take the actions, its spokeswoman said. They were not suspended from the college in Washington, but told to resume their coursework remotely.

Resident students had signed a safety pledge to follow the school’s COVID-19 guidelines.

The rules include completing daily screenings before attending class or work; refraining from hosting guests who are not on campus; and limiting travel away from campus to essential reasons, including internships and work.

Students also completed a 10-day quarantine when they returned to campus.

In another part of the county, the office of Charleroi area District Judge Eric Porter was shuttered Wednesday morning, but reopened later in the day because a possible exposure to coronavirus was ruled out by a negative test, Grimm said.

The office of Washington District Judge Robert Redlinger was also closed Wednesday because of exposure to a positive case of the virus.

Grimm on Wednesday afternoon said the magisterial office in what is still referred to locally as the Millcraft building at West Chestnut and North Franklin streets could reopen Thursday or Friday, depending on how long a chemical odor from the deep-cleaning process might linger.

Vittone on Wednesday afternoon learned of a second positive test among his staff of 33. The district attorney’s office had just last month begun a long-awaited move across South Main street to the Caldwell Building, but staff members’ jobs regularly take them back and forth to the courthouse.

“We’ve deep-cleaned areas at the courthouse due to issues at the DA’s office,” Grimm said Wednesday afternoon. A thermal temperature scanner has replaced hand-held thermometers that had been used to screen those entering the justice center from West Cherry Avenue.

The developments came as the number of novel coronavirus cases began to climb again in Pennsylvania. The state Health Department reported 931 new cases of the virus Wednesday and 14 new deaths, nine of which involved residents of Allegheny County.

Allegheny’s health Director Debra Bogen said that county expects cases to climb next week with 85,000 college students returning to Pittsburgh.

Bogen also said a free COVID-19 testing site will be opening Tuesday in McKeesport over concerns there isn’t adequate testing in the Mon Valley. The details on registering for the tests will be available Friday. The tests at 455 Industry Road will not be limited to residents of Allegheny, and the results will be known within 48 hours, Bogen said.

Meanwhile, Fayette County recorded a new COVID-19 death Wednesday, taking the death toll there to seven. The county also added eight new cases of the virus to its total of 722 since March.

Washington County’s case count grew by six to 1,156. Greene County added two to its total of 152, state Health Department data indicates.

Staff writer Barbara S.Miller contributed to this report.