July starts with Lexington’s largest COVID-19 spike. Cases increase among travelers
Lexington reported 46 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, a new single-day high for cases excluding the Federal Medical Center outbreak in early May.
The five days with the highest case counts not driven by the FMC have occurred since June 14, according to the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department.
- 46 cases, July 1
- 41 cases, June 26
- 40 cases, June 24
- 39 cases, June 30
- 39 cases, June 14
The new single-day high follows Lexington’s worst COVID-19 month. Cases, deaths and hospitalizations increased more in June than they had in any previous month. Mayor Linda Gorton urged residents to wear masks.
“People are not masking,” Gorton said during a coronavirus update with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council. “Wear a mask when you go out.”
There were no new reported deaths on Thursday. About one-fourth of new cases reported Thursday were nursing home residents, according to the health department. Ten Lexington nursing home residents have died of COVID-19 in the last month.
There has been a local increase in cases among those who have traveled to COVID-19 “hot spots,” including Florida and South Carolina, according to the health department. The state’s top health official last week urged people who traveled to Myrtle Beach to quarantine for 14 days after a surge in cases there.
The Lexington health department urged travelers to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention precautions for travel to slow the spread of COVID-19.
- Wash your hands often
- Avoid close contact with others
- Wear a cloth face covering in public
- Cover coughs and sneezes
- Pick up food at drive-throughs, curbside restaurant service, or stores.
This story was originally published July 2, 2020 at 10:01 AM.