Possible John Wayne Airport coronavirus case is cleared; tower reopens

The air-traffic control tower at John Wayne Airport reopened Saturday after an employee with a possible case of the COVID-19 coronavirus tested negative for the illness.

The tower closed Friday as a precaution for “cleaning and quarantine” after a control manager showed a presumptive positive test result Thursday, officials said. Further testing Friday came back negative.

The air-traffic facility is now operating normally.

The Federal Aviation Administration’s regional control center in San Diego handled John Wayne’s traffic during the closure.

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