Summit County announces the first known case of community spread of COVID-19, also known as coronavirus. County and city officials have shut down all but essential facilities in the area. Businesses are being asked to take appropriate social distancing precautions and travel to Summit County is discouraged.
Summit County Manager Tom Fisher held a Saturday morning press conference announcing an employee working March 6 at the Spur Bar and Grill in Park City’s Old Town district has been diagnosed with COVID-19. It was determined the employee had close contact with 10 other employees. The sick employee is in self-quarantine. Summit County Health Director Rich Bullough discouraged travel to the area as a measure to curtail what is now known to be community spread.
“While we haven’t yet put in any travel restrictions, I do recommend that if you have the option of not traveling to Summit County, it's probably wise to not do so at this point in time. We do know that we have community spread that increases the risk of transmission. That is not a formal policy by any means, but I think it's just prudent on the part of an individual.”
Bullough says the patient has not traveled outside of Summit County, which is why they determined he contracted the disease locally.
“The person hasn’t travelled in an area where we know there is a current outbreak, or the person has not come from an area where we know there is a current outbreak. So we know that he contracted to COVID-19 in our community."
Fisher says they’re very concerned about the spread of the virus especially with the workforce who travel to Summit County daily.
“We’re very concerned about community spread in and out of Summit County knowing that we have a very transient work population that transits our borders all the time.”
Health officials ask that people who suspect they have the virus, contact medical personnel over the phone and not in person.
