Tarrant County’s first ‘presumptive positive’ case of COVID-19 identified as Episcopal rector

Coronavirus 

Rev. Dr. Robert Pace, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church is hospitalized in isolation, according to a news release from the church. Pace had been at a conference in Kentucky in late February where he is suspected of contracting the virus.

“Late Tuesday, March 10, leaders of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth and Trinity Episcopal Church learned that the Rev. Dr. Robert Pace, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, Fort Worth, has the first presumptive positive case of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in Tarrant County,” according to the news release.

Trinity is located in Southwest Fort Worth, near the TCU campus.

Pace’s wife, the Rev. Dr. Jill Walters, has tested negative, but will remain in self-quarantine at home for 14 days. She is the Early Childhood and Lower School Chaplain at All Saints’ Episcopal School of Fort Worth. She will remain in self-quarantine for 14 days.

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Trinity has closed the church building and offices to the public for the time being. Trinity’s Preschool is on Spring Break this week and the preschool students had no exposure to Pace, according to the church.

Trinity has canceled all worship services this Sunday, March 15. The Lenten program scheduled for tonight, Wednesday, March 11, has been canceled.

In consultation with Tarrant County Public Health, the staff at Trinity have identified the people who attended the March 4 Lenten program, about 45 people. Pace spoke at this event.

Trinity officials notified those people to expect to be contacted by the Tarrant County Public Health Department.

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Also, in North Texas, Alvarado ISD announced it is closing Alvarado Elementary North because an individual in the school community was asked to self-quarantine. The district said it is gathering more information and will make a decision about the rest of the week at a later time.