Federal prison helps drive a single-day spike in Lexington COVID-19 cases
The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department reported 28 new cases of COVID-19 Thursday morning, the largest-single day increase since the city reported 72 new cases on May 14.
Twenty of the new cases are infected inmates at the Federal Medical Center on Leestown Road, according to Kevin Hall, spokesman for the health department.
A large portion of Lexington’s COVID-19 cases have occurred in the Federal Medical Center, which is home to 268 of the 673 cases, according to the health department. New cases at the prison had been on a downtrend over the last week prior to the new jump.
Hall said he couldn’t speak on behalf of the Federal Medical Center, but “there is always concern whenever there are cases in a facility with close living spaces.”
There were no new deaths, according to the health department. Lexington’s coronavirus death toll is 13, four of which have been at the Federal Medical Center.
This story was originally published May 28, 2020 at 9:46 AM.