WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Penn Place and all its courtrooms are closed as a precaution after Luzerne County Judge William Amesbury has tested positive for the coronavirus.
"We did have a judge who tested positive for coronavirus," said Luzerne County Manager David Pedri. "Obviously, our concerns are with the judge, and hopefully, he will have a speedy recovery for that individual. But most importantly, we did clean; we closed the building down today, we will be back open for business tomorrow."
President Judge Michael Vough said Judge William Amesbury did attend a golf outing on Friday before finding out his test results at the Fox Hill Country Club for a Bar Association event. He and his golf partner, Judge Fred Pierantoni are both in self-quarantine.
In addition to Judge Amesbury and Judge Pierantoni, anyone who had close contact with Judge Amesbury at Penn Place during last week is being asked self-quarantine and to monitor their symptoms.
Fox Hill Country Club in Exeter will be closed until Thursday after two different cleaning crews come in and sanitize the facilities.
Wyoming Valley Country Club in Hanover township says it will also be closed since the judge played golf there earlier in the week.
Management would not say what day Judge Amesbury was there but said they are following CDC guidelines and also plan to reopen on Thursday.
President Judge Vough also said Judge Amesbury remains asymptomatic.
Pedri said this is a reminder that everyone needs to stay vigilant and do their part to minimize the spread of the virus.
"Let's be honest. It is still here. Luzerne County has now had two employees who have tested positive for coronavirus; we have to maintain vigilance. We have to maintain our hand washing, our social distancing, wearing these masks. All of these things have to maintain here. We're not out of the woods yet," Pedri explained.
Original story:
There will be no hearings Monday, July 20, at Penn Place in Wilkes-Barre.
A county judge here in Luzerne County received that positive COVID-19 test Saturday morning, and now the county offices here at Penn Place are closed Monday for deep cleaning.
Anyone who worked in this building last week is being asked to monitor themself closely for symptoms. However, according to county manager Dave Pedri, CDC guidelines are being followed, and no other employees are being asked to proactively self-quarantine.
A list of people who came in close contact with the judge in question has been requested, and anyone they feel is at particularly high risk will be contacted.
Per CDC guidelines, the judge will need to test negative not once, but twice before returning to work.
Gain the county offices here at Penn Place in Wilkes-Barre are closed for deep cleaning on Monday, but people will be able to drop documents off at the main lobby of the building.
