Missouri’s governor says the State Capitol in Jefferson City is being cleaned extensively daily, to protect employees and to stop the spread of the coronavirus. The Capitol has been closed to the general public since Tuesday.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson delivers the State of the State Address on January 15, 2020 in Jefferson City (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)
Governor Mike Parson says cleaning crews are working hard.
“We still have a full staff here in the governor’s office, we still have people (employees) in the Capitol every day,” Parson says. “We’re doing a deep-cleaning every day it takes to make sure this building is safe as we possibly can make it.”
The governor was responding to a question from Missourinet. He says special precautions are being taken each day.
About 300 leased office buildings and another 36 state-owned office buildings are also closed to the general public at this time, and at least 15,000 state employees are working remotely.
The state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) says there are now 502 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Missouri, up from 356 on Wednesday. One of the cases involves veteran State Rep. Joe Runions, D-Grandview.
A spokesman for Missouri House Democrats, Marc Powers, tells Missourinet that Representative Runions went home from St. Joseph’s Hospital in Kansas City a few days ago.
“Still recovering, but home,” Powers says.
While the governor says cleaning crews are preparing for lawmakers to return to the Capitol, it’s unclear when that will happen.
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