Health Department can’t keep up

The Jefferson County Public Health Department, faced with a rapidly rising number of COVID-19 cases, has announced it can no longer keep up with the contact tracing process. 

Instead it will limit the process to household members of an active case, as well as those who are considered “high risk,” such as health care workers, emergency responders, those associated with a school or congregate living setting or individuals with health risks, according to a notice that was released at 9:56 p.m. on Monday. 

Over the past week, the department has logged more than 70 new cases, with 84 currently active and five in the hospital, according to the report. That puts the department in contact with 268 cases and close contacts.