Washington County man in his 50s who died from COVID-19 was a Waukesha County employee

WASHINGTON COUNTY -- Officials with the Washington Ozaukee Public Health Department on Monday, March 30 confirmed a Waukesha County employee who died as a result of COVID-19 complications was a resident of Germantown in Washington County. Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow announced the man's death on Sunday.

This was Washington County's first coronavirus-related death, health officials said in a news release.

The man, who was in his 50s, had underlying health conditions, officials said, noting that they were diligently working to ensure the patient's close contacts are monitored for symptoms and quarantined to avoid the spread of the virus.

“The health department sends our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. This is precisely why we are asking people to practice social distancing and to stay at home. If you have any symptoms of COVID-19 including fever, cough or tightness in your chest, please stay home and call your health care provider.  We do not want other families to lose loved ones,” said Kirsten Johnson, health officer, in the release.

Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow

"We send our sincere condolences to the family, to the friends and to the co-workers of the employee," said Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow. "There are a number of co-workers that were here that were good friends of his. It has been a challenging time."

Farrow said Monday the man had not been to a public works location in more than a week.

"The location that he was at, we have completely cleaned," said Farrow. "The individuals he had contact with are currently in quarantine. He worked in a position where had very few contacts with fellow employees and with the public.

The death -- heartbreaking for those who knew him and those who did not.

"We need be mindful of our proximity to other people, our exposure to other people," said Paul Decker, chairman of the board for Waukesha County. "The biggest impact we can have at this point is to have people really understand that staying home, staying safe, is the most important thing they can do for their families."

Officials noted as of Monday morning, there were 37 positive cases in Washington County, and 42 in Ozaukee County.