Public Health Officer Dr. Tom Locke

The recent increase in COVID-19 cases in Jefferson County has been linked to a Halloween party held in the mid-county area, Public Health Officer Dr. Tom Locke said Monday.

Jefferson County was hit with eight new cases of the coronavirus over the past week, Locke told Jefferson County commissioners during their weekly update on the disease Nov. 9. 

A total of 95 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed, and that number will likely be at 96 before the end of Monday, Locke said.

Jefferson County entered the weekend with 92 cases.

The new cases in mid-county likely came as a result of a social gathering.

"We are doing an outbreak investigation," Locke said.

The party over the Halloween period resulted in multiple infections.

"A lot of people are in quarantine as a result of it. We are testing them," Locke said. "By next week we'll know the full extent of it."

The outbreak is "an important community lesson," Locke added.

"I think we can all learn something from it."

Locke said he would give a full report on the outbreak once more is known, but noted that information that would violate any patient's right to privacy would not be shared.

"I'll be commenting at length on this next week," Locke said.

Four COVID-19 cases in mid-county were announced last week.

The first was Monday, Nov. 2, and county health officials said a man in his 40s had tested positive.

Three more cases were reported in the following three days; a woman in her 40s, and two people under the age of 20.