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In Judge-Executive Dan Mosley’s recent COVID-19 update, he announced the community spread in the Tri-City area has been contained.

“This flattening of the curve has only been made possible because of the decisions individuals have made to follow quarantine guidance and decisions everyone else has made to be wearing masks and social distancing while in public,” Mosley said. “I commend everyone for your efforts and thank you for doing your part to protect yourself, your family and your neighbors.”

Mosley said residents “cannot let their guards down” as Harlan, Bell and Knox counties were shown to have some of the largest percentage in growth cases from June to July, according to WHAS 11 News in Louisville.

“We have seen multiple cases in Harlan County connected to travel out of state,” Mosley said. “State travel restrictions expired more than a month ago. I realize that many folks are traveling for work, vacation, a weekend getaway or to see family out of state.”

He encouraged others to wear a mask while in public, continue social distancing and take necessary precautions while on these trips.

The county now has 33 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases since it’s first case on May 6.

Of the 33, there are 11 active cases, 19 recovered and three deaths associated with the virus.

The 10 active cases include a 56-year-old female (symptomatic; quarantined), 19-year-old female (asymptomatic; quarantined), 72-year-old (symptomatic; hospitalized), 67-year-old female (asymptomatic; quarantined), 63-year-old female (symptomatic; quarantined), 57-year-old female (symptomatic; quarantined), 64-year-old male (symptomatic; quarantined), 60-year-old female (asymptomatic; quarantined), 39-year-old male (symptomatic; quarantined), 61-year-old male (asymptomatic; quarantined) and 62-year-old male (symptomatic; quarantined).

Four of the 11 active cases include individuals who reside in the same household (two sets of two) and two others are connected to the households.

As of 5:30 p.m. July 6:

• 2,179 tests have been conducted in Harlan County.
• 2,107 of these tests have been conducted on Harlan County residents.
• 50 tests have been conducted on people from other counties.
• 22 tests have been conducted on people from other states.
• 2,077 tests have been negative.
• 70 tests are currently pending.

Mosley said 7.5 percent of the county’s population has been tested, with 1.5 percent of Harlan County residents testing positive. This does not include tests that were negative and conducted out of the county.

Mosley commended locals throughout Harlan County for their diligent work toward flattening the curve and stopping the spread of COVID-19, including the Harlan County Health Department and other first responders.

If you were a close contact of any of the positive cases, the health department will reach out to you directly as part of its contact tracing and will instruct you on what measures are necessary to protect you and your family.

“I will continue to provide you a weekly COVID-19 update each Monday,” he said. “If at any time during this pandemic, we have another confirmed positive case in Harlan County, I will provide that information to you with an update whenever that occurs, no matter what day that is as I’ve done over the last month.”