2nd Rivers Casino worker tests positive for coronavirus since June 9 reopening

A second employee at the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh has tested positive for coronavirus since the North Shore facility reopened from the state-mandated shutdown, company officials said.

“This team member has not been on property for the past seven days and last worked on June 13,” said Rivers spokesman Jack Horner. “Thanks to new … health and safety protocols, this individual self-identified symptoms, got tested and sought treatment — without ever returning to the casino.”

The first positive covid-19 case was reported on Wednesday. That was about a week after the casino reopened after being closed for nearly 90 days due to the state-mandated shutdown of non-essential businesses.

Although the employee had not been at the casino all week, coworkers and guests who came into close contact with the infected worker will be notified by the Allegheny County Health Department, Horner said.

Safeguarding the health of its employees and visitors is “our top priority,” he said.

As an added measure, patrons of the casino will now have their temperature taken when they arrive and will not be allowed in if it is 100.4 degrees or higher.

Since reopening, employees have undergone routine temperatures checks. Employees whose temperature goes above 100.4 degrees must be retested before being allowed to return to work.

Workers and guests also are required to wear face coverings, practice social distancing and regularly sanitize their hands while at the casino.

Before re-opening, the company instituted several restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus, including additional cleaning time, mask requirements and social distancing rules.

Every other seat has been removed from slot machines to create more distance, and Plexiglas dividers have been added between popular machines and betting kiosks, in front of restaurants and other service desks.

Players are limited at game tables such as blackjack and roulette.