Note: This story was updated at 5:30 p.m.
Morgan Smith, president and chief executive officer of Consolidated Nuclear Security, which manages and operates the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, is working from home as a precaution after being notified that he was in brief contact with someone earlier in the week who self-reported symptoms that could be related to COVID-19.
The person has been tested but the results aren’t back yet, CNS spokesperson Kathryn King said in response to questions Monday.
“Morgan has no symptoms and is actively teleworking as he leads CNS in completing the mission and responding to the demands created by the global coronavirus pandemic,” King said.
Besides Y-12, CNS also manages the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas. Both production sites work on nuclear weapons for the National Nuclear Security Administration, which is part of the U.S. Department of Energy, among other activities.
CNS has said there have been several cases of COVID-19 among Y-12 employees, although the federal contractor has declined to say specifically how many cases there are and CNS has not reported where those employees work at the 811-acre plant.
COVID-19 is a contagious respiratory illness that can cause serious symptoms, lead to hospitalization, and sometimes be deadly.
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