Seven TSA officers tested positive for coronavirus at the Orlando International Airport on Tuesday, which brings the total to 22 TSA officers in Orlando who have now been confirmed to have the virus since March 1.
In a message to staff, Orlando International Airport’s head TSA officer Pete Garcia says the officers have been notified of their results and will not return to work until they're cleared by a doctor.
Garcia says the officers’ last day at the security checkpoint was Tuesday, June 23. The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority deep-cleaned the work areas overnight.
The increase in positive cases comes as officers return to a regular work schedule to prepare for a busy July 4th weekend.
Last week, a whistleblower accused the TSA of withholding N-95 masks and of mismanagement, contributing to the spread of coronavirus.
The head of the TSA told NPR in an interview that the agency failed to protect its employees and allowed them to become, "significant carriers of the virus."
