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WARREN -- Those working in city departments have to wear masks and maintain social distancing whenever they are inside city-owned buildings.
In recent weeks, the city has seen an uptick in the number of employees who have either contracted COVID-19 or have been around those who have had it.
"Two to three weeks ago we had a couple cases pop up," Safety Service Director Eddie Colbert said. "It is not as simple as the number of people that have the virus, but there are people who have been in contact with people with the virus, so they have to be quarantined."
As to the number of city employees currently infected with the virus, Colbert did not specify.
"It is a combination of both," he said.
Colbert said early last year when the virus was first beginning to spread, the city decided to close its buildings to nonessential personnel whenever it was possible and had many of its employees working from home.
All city employees since have returned to working in their offices.
"We were being proactive, rather than reactive," he said. "We went for months having no cases, then we would have one or two."
The city last year lost a firefighter, Donald Beauchene, who died due to complications suffered from the virus, and one council member, Ron White, contracted the virus during a family event.
White since has recovered.
Colbert emphasized that Mayor Doug Franklin and himself have been in constant contact with both the city's health department and the Trumbull County Combined Health District, so they have the latest information concerning the virus.