FARGO — Sanford Health announced on Sunday, March 29, that three employees at two of its Fargo facilities have tested positive for COVID-19.

The three physical therapists work in hospital settings — two at Sanford Medical Center Fargo along Interstate 94 and one at Sanford Broadway Medical Center downtown.

The employees are isolating at home, and Sanford is working closely with the North Dakota Department of Health to evaluate the situation, Sanford announced in a news release attributed to Dr. Doug Griffin, vice president and medical officer at Sanford Fargo.

Sanford said employees and patients who may have come into close contact with the physical therapists are being contacted.

Seven patients are being notified they may have been exposed. One of the physical therapists developed symptoms at work and went home. The other was not at work when the symptoms began and has remained isolated, the news release said.

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Griffin acknowledged health care workers are at high risk, and there will be an increase in the number of health care workers becoming infected.

The news comes a day after Sanford announced a nurse practitioner tested positive for coronavirus after coming in contact with residents at a Moorhead assisted living facility Monday, March 23.

The seven residents and three staff members at Eventide on Eighth in Moorhead who came into contact with the provider had not tested positive for coronavirus as of Saturday night, but CEO Jon Riewer said they were being closely monitored.

Sanford announced Sunday it would have no media availability Sunday but would address the developing situation Monday, March 30, at 1:30 p.m. at Sanford Medical Center Fargo.

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