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Friday, March 29, 2024

20 Church Members Test Positive For Coronavirus

Credit: WAAY ABC Huntsville, AL
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20 Church Members Test Positive For Coronavirus
20 Church Members Test Positive For Coronavirus

Sophia Borrelli spoke with a pastor in DeKalb County who said he and about 20 other members of his church tested positive for coronavirus.

School starts august 20th.

Another coronavirus outbreak connected to a church in north alabama.

This time in dekalb county.

The pastor said he, his wife and about 20 other members tested positive for coronavirus.

He told waay 31's sophia borrelli what the church is now doing to keep parishioners safe.

Here at providence missionary baptist church in collinsville - the doors of the church have remained closed since july 16th.

The pastor told me he thought they did everything they could to keep his congregation safe."

Rickie williams, pastor of providence missionary baptist church: "it was heartbreaking, it breaks my heart."

Reverend rickie williams was willing to meet in person.

New cdc guidelines say that's ok because he tested positive more than 10 days ago and is asymptomatic.

But we stuck to a virtual interview.

In it, he told me a church member felt sick during a service on july 15th and tested positive for coronavirus the next day.

That's when williams closed the church doors - but he said about 20 church members then tested positive.

Rickie williams, pastor of providence missionary baptist church: "i don't really know where it come from.

I don't know if it come through our church or if it come through some other place."

Williams told me when the church was open, it used hand sanitizer, told parishioners to wear masks and stay socially distanced during services.

Now all services are online.

Rickie williams, pastor of providence missionary baptist church: "we tried to do everything we could to keep this out of our church.

We truly just don't understand it, but the lord will see us through."

Sophia l: "williams says right now they are looking into different options to clean the church.

He told me he will not have service at the church until he has tested negative and even then - for the first service he will most likely be standing out on this porch - to deliver his message."

Rickie williams, pastor of providence missionary baptist church: "we need the church.

We need the lord.

We need fellowship.

I truly am looking forward to getting back into church but i want to be smart.

I want to be safe about it."

In collinsville - sophia borrelli waay 31 news of those 20 who tested positive, williams says three had to be hospitalized.

We're told - two are out of the hospital and one is still in the hospital -

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