Spartanburg County plant worker tests positive for coronavirus, company CEO says

MOORE, S.C. (WYFF) - An employee at a Spartanburg County plant has tested positive for coronavirus, according to the company’s CEO.

Lucio Siano, CEO of Ritrama Inc., said the employee, who works in manufacturing, is an Italian citizen who visited Italy recently.

Siano said the employee flew back to Charlotte Douglas International Airport on March 2.

Siano said the employee was in good health when he returned and no one at the airport asked him or talked to him about coronavirus. The CEO said the employee did fill out a questionnaire about his health that was given to him by Lufthansa, the airline on which he was flying.

According to Siano, the employee got a high fever Thursday night and went to Spartanburg Regional Hospital.

There, the employee was tested for coronavirus and sent home, Siano said.

Siano said the company was told Saturday that the employee tested positive for the coronavirus.

The employee was told to stay in his home, Siano said.

Siano told WYFF News 4 that he was waiting on instructions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He said the company is closed until further notice while a sanitation company cleans the building and offices.

He said 138 employees work at the Spartanburg County plant and all have been informed about the employee testing positive for the virus.

The plant makes self-adhesive materials.

South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) officials reported Sunday that a man from Spartanburg County has tested positive for COVID-19.

They say he recently traveled to Italy, and at this time, has no known connection to any other presumptive cases in the state. He is currently in isolation at home.

DHEC officials have not confirmed the man worked for Ritrama Inc.

As of Sunday afternoon, DHEC has tested a total of 17 individuals for COVID-19, which includes six presumptive positives.

Click or tap here to read the latest coronavirus report from DHEC.