LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville’s increase in COVID-19 cases is linked to the reopening of businesses and services, especially travel to “hotspot” areas, indoor gatherings in bars, house parties and workplaces, the city’s top health official said Tuesday.
Meanwhile, there’s no evidence that the rise in cases is a result of racial justice protests, said Dr. Sarah Moyer, director of the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness.
Speaking during a virtual media briefing, Moyer said infections are spreading within households and urged people to avoid bars and indoor parties and make sure their workplaces are following safety guidelines.
The health department did not immediately respond to a request Tuesday afternoon for data supporting the increase in cases.
But new cases of the illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus are increasing in the city, according to health department data. There were 148 new cases reported Tuesday. By comparison, there were 13 new cases reported on July 1.
In all, there have been 5,331 confirmed cases; 3,721 people have recovered, according to city data. No new deaths were reported Tuesday.
Louisville Metro government only provides publicly a cumulative “positivity rate,” or the percentage of tests that are positive. It doesn’t give a snapshot of that rate during a given period, as some places do.
A rolling average over week or 14 days, for example, shows trends in COVID-19 spread and is an indicator of how a city or state is faring while adjusting for fluctuations in testing. Kentucky and Indiana state governments both provide seven-day positivity rates.
But the only way to get that rate in Louisville would be to break down the data by the batch of tests administered, said Grace Simrall, Metro government’s chief of civic innovation and technology. But, she said, “the systems that collect the data just don’t parse it that way.”
Further complicating data collection: City officials say they don’t receive all negative test results fro private physicians, pharmacy drive-thus and pop-up testing sites. Moyer said it’s believed the positivity rate since the pandemic began in March is below the official 7% figure.
With confirmed cases rising in Louisville, Mayor Greg Fischer called on people to stay home, practice social distancing and wear masks or face coverings in public. He said masks are “especially important” at social events.
“What we’re seeing is that a lot of the community spread – the spread of the virus that’s going on – can be traced to social gatherings, especially among younger adults,” particularly among younger people between 20-44, Fischer said.
He singled out bars, where he said “we’re seeing people not wearing masks, standing close together, pulling tables together – and that’s just not smart.”
Fischer noted that in Michigan, more than 100 cases were traced to a single restaurant. And he hinted that Louisville could follow the lead of places that have shut down bars in response to rising coronavirus cases.
“We will take that action here if we don’t see better compliance here this weekend as our health inspectors are out and about,” he said.
Copyright 2020 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
