More COVID News from CCDOH

This afternoon, the Columbia County Department of Health issued a press release with information that accounts for the rise in new COVID cases reported in the past few days. 

COUNTY DOH TRACKING COMMUNITY OUTBREAK

"As of Monday morning, there are 15 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county stemming from two golf outings in July that really gave the virus life," said Columbia County Department of Health Director Jack Mabb. The widespread outbreak has affected four retail outlets and two daycare settings within the county, said Director Mabb. As a result, as of Monday morning many of the 96 people currently under mandatory quarantine in the county are connected to the golf outing outbreak. Owing to HIPPA regulations, the DOH cannot release the names of the individuals who are affected, however, if you have been in contact with one of these individuals, you will be contacted by county DOH contact tracers. Director Mabb stressed that this outbreak can be pinpointed to the two golf events, from which it was subsequently transmitted to the other locations. "This should serve as a reminder that the virus never went away, as well as to how easily one of these outbreaks can happen," he said. "None of us will be surprised if these numbers continue to escalate," added Director Mabb. "This should be yet another reminder that the wearing of masks and social distancing are not jokes. They have proven to be our most effective means of helping limit the spread of the virus. Further, not only are we concerned with the health of the community, but nobody wants to see us have to lose ground in the state's economic reopening plan."