To No One’s Surprise, More Coronavirus Outbreaks Are Traced Back to Churches

There must come a point where the same thing happening over and over again goes from news to noise. Have we gotten there yet? Just in case, this is from the current crop of news stories:

“COVID-19 cases linked to Perry Co. church“

A Facebook post from the Kentucky River District Health Department (KRDHD) links “multiple” COVID-19 cases to a church in Perry County. The post says that the cases are linked to The Trinity Holiness Tabernacle Church. Health officials are advising anyone who might have attended the church from May 24 through June 7 that they may have been exposed to COVID-19.

“Over 100 coronavirus cases traced to German church“

A cluster of 112 coronavirus infections and one death has been traced to a church in the north German port city of Bremerhaven. … The outbreak was linked to a Pentecost service that took place in early June. The Bremen health ministry announced the cluster of infections on Friday — at the time, the number of infections was reported at 44, but the number has risen since. Around 150 people are thought to have attended the church service.

“COVID-19 outbreak identified in Greenbrier County church“

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources has identified five outbreaks of COVID-19 in churches across the state, a news release said on Saturday.

The most recent outbreak has been identified in Greenbrier County, where a church has at least 17 confirmed cases. Governor Jim Justice has ordered the West Virginia National Guard, the Greenbrier County Health Department, and the DHHR to respond to this outbreak. A contact investigation is underway, and the church is cooperating with the county health department.

The National Guard will be on site on Sunday to begin cleaning the church. The building will be closed for 14 days while being decontaminated.

After which, I’m afraid, the cycle can begin anew.

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