As more cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus showed up locally, Dallas County late Thursday declared a state of emergency and put the kibosh on big public gatherings in the county starting Friday.
As of 11 a.m. Friday, the county is nixing all public gatherings of 500 or more people for seven days. It’s also “discouraging” gatherings of 250 people or more.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said the steps were necessary to prevent “community spread” of COVID-19.
Of five new coronavirus cases in Dallas County, Jenkins said, one involved someone who had not traveled, raising the fear of community spread.
Community spread involves people who test positive for the virus but have not personally visited a known affected area.
* Photo credit: Skeeter Hagler