COVID-19 outbreak associated with local church

Published 5:10 pm Friday, July 24, 2020

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The Clark County Health Department has identified a cluster outbreak associated with attendance at an Ohio church camp and subsequent services at Pilgrim Holiness Church here in Winchester.

County Public Health Director Becky Kissick, who made the announcement Friday, said that part of the spike in new case numbers Thursday was due to this incident. So far, she said, five confirmed cases are believed to have originated at the church camp or from the local services afterward.

Kissick said that anyone who attended services at Pilgrim Holiness Church from July 19 until now may have been exposed.

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Officials with the Health Department strongly encourage worshippers to self-monitor for symptoms associated with COVID-19 such as: fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting or a new loss of taste or smell, she said in a news release.

“I want to strongly encourage all community members to follow the guidelines set forth by public health, especially when attending church services. Please practice social distancing, wear a mask, use every other pew, wash hands and sanitize surfaces frequently,” Kissick said. “We must all do our part to stop the spread and protect the most vulnerable in our community.”

Earlier this week, Gov. Andy Beshear asked the Kentucky Council of Churches to not hold in-person worship service for the next two weeks because of rising numbers of COVID cases.

About Randy Patrick

Randy Patrick is a reporter for Bluegrass Newsmedia, which includes The Jessamine Journal. He may be reached at 859-759-0015 or by email at randy.patrick@bluegrassnewsmedia.com.

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