Liberty County’s Coronavirus numbers holding steady with still 2 cases, 31 others pending

At his Monday afternoon update on the Coronavirus pandemic, Liberty County Judge Jay Knight cleared up a widespread rumor alleging that an employee of a local restaurant tested positive for Coronavirus.

Knight said despite the rumors, the female employee – who works at Dairy Queen in Dayton, was not positive for Coronavirus. Knight said it took a few days for the results to come in as they had to be sent to California.

As of Monday, 82 people in Liberty County have been tested with 49 receiving negative results and 31 still pending. Liberty County still has just two cases of Coronavirus and both of those persons, who live on the north end of the county in the Cleveland and Tarkington area, are said to be recuperating at their homes.

He said he is concerned about the rapid increase in the number of cases across the state. As of March 28, Texas had 2,052 positive cases. By Sunday, March 29, that number has grown to 2,877.

Knight reminded residents that an executive order that was issued on Saturday now limits the number of family members who are allowed to enter “Essential Retail Establishments,” such as grocery stores. The order says that only one member of a household at a time may enter these retail stores unless the individual requires assistance due to physical or medical needs or is a parent of a child for whom there is no alternative care.

Knight said he is concerned that entire families – dad, mom and children – are shopping together at grocery stores and is hoping to avoid further strengthening the executive orders to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.

“Think before you do something. Read the order and think about it. No one likes having to do this, but this is our job – to keep the people safe. If I have to inconvenience 100,000 people to save one life, I will do that,” he said. “That’s just the way the disease is working. We have to beat it somehow.”

He encouraged Liberty County residents to continue looking after each other as best they can while still practicing social distancing rules.

“Care for one another, wave at your neighbor, be nice and friend, practice social distancing and pray, pray a lot. I mean pray,” he said. “God bless y’all. God bless Liberty County. God bless Texas and God bless the United States.”