Christian County has had 19 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in the past week, and the majority of those were people who recently participated in a gathering, County Health Director Kayla Bebout said in a news release.
Responding to followup questions from Hoptown Chronicle, Bebout said that the health department is not aware of any positive coronavirus cases linked to the Sunday, May 31, rally against police brutality at the Christian County Justice Center. She indicated that other unspecified gatherings around the Memorial Day holiday could be linked to some of the positive cases that were confirmed in the past week.
“They have been in several … gathering and congregate settings,” Bebout said in an email, but declined further comment.
A congregate setting typically refers to a place where people are housed, such as a homeless facility, nursing home or jail.
To prevent the spread of COVID-19, Bebout said that anyone participating in a demonstration is encouraged to:
- Wear a face mask
- Wear eye protection (sunglasses, goggles, face shields)
- Stay hydrated
- Use hand sanitizer
- Avoid yelling; instead use signs
- Stick to a small group
- Keep 6 feet from other groups
“Our nation and state has gone through some very painful events over the past months, but public health continues to work to achieve health equity for all of our people and to bring about a healthier Christian County where everyone and every community thrives,” Bebout said in a news release.
The health department reported three newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Friday, bringing the total since the start of the coronavirus outbreak to 138. As of Friday, there were 27 active cases, 108 recovered and three deaths.
This story has been updated.
(Jennifer P. Brown is the editor and founder of Hoptown Chronicle. Reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org.)
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
