8 Long Beach firefighters test positive for coronavirus

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Eight Long Beach firefighters have tested positive for coronavirus and are in self-isolation, city officials said Wednesday.

All eight of the firefighters are described as being in stable condition. They are associated with Fire Station 11 at 160 E. Market St. as a common location where they all had recently worked, although other locations and possible origins of exposure remain under investigation.

"Our Long Beach firefighters are community heroes, and they have been on the frontlines every day of this health crisis," said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. "We are doing everything we can to provide support to these firefighters and their families. We recognize the seriousness of this latest development and are committed to doing all that we can to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in Long Beach."

The city is notifying other workers who may have come into contact with the firefighters. Fire Station 11 is being sanitized.

The city of Long Beach now has 41 confirmed cases.

Of those, four are firefighters who are city residents, while the remaining four live in other cities. One student at Cal State Long Beach who lives in the city has also tested positive. A second CSULB student who lives outside the city has also tested positive. The city has seen one death associated with COVID-19. Of the 41 cases, five are listed as having recovered.

The city of Long Beach has set up an information website for residents about coronavirus.

The city has also established the Long Beach Disaster Relief Fund to raise money to support local organizations that are addressing the coronavirus response in Long Beach.