By STU JOHNSON
CREDIT KENTUCKY.COM
Reported Coronavirus cases in Fayette County increased dramatically over the weekend. The jump in cases was largely based on an outbreak of COVID-19 at the Federal Medical Prison in Lexington.
Officials with the Fayette County Health Department Friday evening released information detailing 33 cases of coronavirus among inmates at the federal prison along with one staff member testing positive. A statement from Fayette Health Commissioner Kraig Humbaugh said contact tracing is being done for those area residents who have tested positive and work at the facility. The aim is to limit the spread of disease.
On Friday Dr. Humbaugh said increased testing is likely to result in more positive cases in Lexington. “As testing becomes more widely available we will see increases in cases just because we’ll be picking up milder disease,” said Humbaugh.
Humbaugh said it remains hard to predict the activity level of COVID-19 this summer.
Governor Beshear has been stressing the use of protective masks when out in public. Dr. Humbaugh said widespread use of masks wouldn’t eliminate coronavirus transmission. “It’s not a substitute for physically distancing and good hand washing and these other measures that we’ve talked about, but it can be used as an adjunct,” explained Humbaugh.
Humbaugh said facial masks are most beneficial in preventing dispersing of viral droplets from an infected person.
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