Big Bear Lake Mayor Rick Herrick diagnosed with coronavirus

Big Bear Lake Mayor Rick Herrick tested positive for the coronavirus and is expected to recover, the city said on its website.

Herrick said in the announcement made Friday, March 20, that he is continuing his mayoral duties from home. Herrick was the second-highest vote-getter in the March primary election for the California 33rd Assembly District and will face Thurston Smith in the November runoff.

Herrick is the first person in the San Bernardino Mountains city to be diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus, the city said.

“Thankfully, Mayor Herrick is doing reasonably well and is expected to fully recover,” the announcement said.

Herrick said he was tested Thursday following a week of self-quarantine after what felt like flu symptoms.

“This is not the announcement that I imagined, but I hope that by going public on what is normally a private, HIPAA-type subject can be a learning moment for our tight-knit community,” he wrote, using an acronym for the law governing patient privacy.

“A week ago, when the first twinge of illness struck me, I followed orders and stayed at home. Although this was not fun or easy, I knew that I was fighting something off and I didn’t need to expose myself to others regardless of the illness,” he wrote. “So I worked from home and kept my distance from my wife, frequently washed my hands, used sanitation wipes and hand sanitizer, all while remaining in self-quarantine.

“My symptoms have been relatively mild. I had a waning, low-grade fever, some chest pressure, achiness, and fatigue. It was like the flu but very different at the same time,” Herrick wrote.

Herrick encouraged others to heed warnings from public health officials such as to stay home if ill, not to go to an emergency room without having the symptoms confirmed and practice social distancing.

No other city officials have shown coronavirus symptoms, the city said.

Anyone who has had contact with Herrick can call the San Bernardino County Public Health Department Operations Center for advice at 800-782-4264, option 6, the announcement said.

Herrick’s case increased the confirmed coronavirus case count to 10 in San Bernardino County as of Saturday evening. Riverside County had 30 cases as of Saturday night.