Exposed New Bedford Firefighters Test Negative for COVID-19

A group of New Bedford firefighters exposed to a co-worker with COVID-19 have tested negative for the virus and are cleared to return to work.

On Sunday, Mayor Jon Mitchell announced on Twitter that 22 firefighters self-quarantining due to potential exposure all received good news with their test results.

Mitchell last week told WBSM's Barry Richard that a district fire chief caught the virus from his girlfriend and went to work while infected. Firefighters from several stations were sent home, told to self-isolate, and administered Covid-19 testing.

The affected firefighters' contact with the district chief was "minimal," but they were told to quarantine "out of an abundance of caution," said Jon Carvalho, Mitchell's communications director. Carvalho said the firefighters from different stations had participated in a training session together.