As new COVID-19 restrictions are announced, Lexington reports 196 new coronavirus cases
Lexington reported 196 new COVID-19 cases and one new death Wednesday morning, further surpassing the one-month infection record the city already set in November.
The city has now had 14,367 COVID-19 cases since March. There have also been 105 deaths and 801 hospitalizations reported.
The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department has been overwhelmed by recent case increases in the city. Lexington residents are now expected to tell their close contacts they may have been exposed. The health department announced Tuesday it would primarily focus its efforts on contacting positive cases.
Those who were exposed to coronavirus but haven’t yet tested positive for the virus would likely only be contacted by the health department if they were in “higher-risk situations.” Those in higher-risk situations include child care facilities, nursing homes, other congregate living areas and schools, health department spokesman Kevin Hall said.
“They might make the calls to close contacts, but we’ll continue guiding them through the process. Our business team will also continue working with Lexington businesses to assist them.”
The issue wasn’t isolated to Lexington, as the state announced Tuesday it was enlisting the help of those who test positive to notify people with whom they’ve been in close contact.
More than 20 percent of Lexington’s total cases have come in November. More than 13 percent of all of the city’s COVID-19 hospitalizations have occurred this month. There are now regularly 50 to 60 Lexington residents in the hospital with coronavirus on any given day, health department spokesman Kevin Hall said this week. That number was previously in the 30s.
The local spike caused Kentucky to open a surge testing site at Keeneland. The site is funded by the federal government, Gov. Andy Beshear said Tuesday.
Beshear announced Wednesday “surgical and targeted” new COVID-19 restrictions that would be in effect from Friday until Dec. 13. Private indoor gatherings will be limited to no more than eight people. Bars and restaurants will have to stop indoor service. Gyms, pools, bowling alleys and similar venues will have to operate at 33 percent capacity. Masks will have to be worn at gyms, and group classes or activities will be prohibited.
Beshear told businesses to have office employees work from home if possible and hold employee capacity to 33 percent.
Public and private K-12 schools will have to halt in-person instruction. Beshear said all public universities in the state agreed to halt in-person instruction by Monday, Beshear said.
The Lexington health department said it hadn’t been made aware of the specific mandates issued before Wednesday evening. Officials weren’t able to comment on how the health department would enforce the mandates until Thursday morning.
“These new restrictions are a lot easier to enforce,” Beshear said Wednesday.
Lexington’s COVID-19 spread is occurring for several reasons
When asked if Lexington’s COVID-19 spread is occurring in restaurants and bars or intimate family settings, Hall said it’s “all of the above.”
“We are seeing cases from infected people continuing to visit public spots, as well as gatherings both small and large,” he said.
Hall said it was “likely” that Halloween and Election Day caused some of the case increases as well, along with “general COVID-19 fatigue.”
“Too many people follow some of the guidelines some of the time when we need to see all the guidelines followed all of the time,” he said. “Make them part of your daily routine.”
This story was originally published November 18, 2020 at 9:34 AM.