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Santa Barbara Co. Fire personnel in quarantine after possible COVID-19 exposure

They are awaiting test results
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Posted at 5:04 PM, Mar 25, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-25 20:13:55-04

Some Santa Barbara County Fire Department personnel are in quarantine after learning of possible COVID-19 exposure.

The fire department says one of its engine companies on Tuesday responded to reports of a woman suffering a medical emergency.

The woman was taken to the hospital where her "symptoms began to evolve and become in line with symptoms of COVID-19," the fire department said in a press release.

Those who responded to the call were reportedly notified immediately and put into quarantine.

The fire department says all equipment had already been decontaminated, which is normal protocol, but deeper cleaning measures were later taken.

The woman is awaiting COVID-19 test results, officials say. If her test results come back positive, the fire personnel will then also be tested.

No other information was immediately available.

Health officials in Santa Barbara County on Wednesday said there were currently 26 cases of COVID-19 in the county.