More than 400 county employees under self-isolation after COVID-19 cases in permit center

Miami-Dade told more than 400 employees to spend two weeks in self-isolation after discovering more cases of COVID-19 in workers at a busy county permit center where members of the public go for inspection certificates and other paperwork tied to construction.

Late Tuesday, the county announced a two-week closure of the Permitting and Inspection Center at 11805 SW 26th St. in Kendall and said all staff who worked there were told to begin two weeks of self-isolation. Four employees in the building have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

It was the second time in less than a week that the building closed for coronavirus. Miami-Dade closed the building for two days of cleaning last Thursday after one worker tested positive, then reopened Monday. The release said since then, three more workers were discovered to have tested positive.

Last week’s release said the employee with the COVID-19 diagnosis hadn’t been in the building for 13 days, and that the county notified employees who worked near the person. The county said the building was undergoing two days of deep cleaning “in an abundance of caution.”

On Tuesday, the county offered no information for members of the public who use the center about possible exposure to the coronavirus, beyond boiler plate language that any residents of Miami-Dade “who believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should call the Florida Department of Health at 305-324-2400.”

Miami-Dade also canceled all inspections scheduled for Wednesday, and directed inquiries to a string of staff emails available online.

Tere Florin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources, which runs the permitting center, said more than 400 employees were told to go home and self-isolate and monitor their symptoms for 14 days.

Asked if the public should be concerned, she said “that’s more for [the Department of Health] to address. We are working with them and following their instructions. Anyone who has recently been at the PIC and is concerned should contact” the Health Department.

This story was originally published March 24, 2020 at 11:23 PM.