COVID-19 Outbreak: Lubbock Records Highest New Case Count to Date
Wednesday, the City of Lubbock confirmed 77 new cases of COVID-19, topping Tuesday's single-day record of 61.
The total confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Lubbock County now stands at 1,031, with 51 deaths and 582 recoveries. Sixteen additional recoveries were announced on Wednesday.
The outbreak originated at Logie's, according to a City of Lubbock press release. The sports bar was shut down for a deep clean. Meanwhile, seven other area businesses on Tuesday had voluntarily shut down to undergo a cleaning: Twin Peaks, The Lantern, Bierhaus, Chimy's, Crickets, Atomic Lounge and The Cheesecake Factory.
The City of Lubbock Health Department said the outbreak was centered around 18 to 25-year-old adults who visited bars without adhering to social distancing guidelines. The date range for the spread is June 6th-14th.
In a news conference held online Wednesday, Mayor Pope stood firm that shutting down the local economy again was a non-starter.
"We're not going back to shutting down, but we've got to move forward safely," Pope said.
Pope urged citizens to "avoid large groups, hang out with the same people you've been hanging out with, use good judgment." He also pledged to refocus efforts to highlight the importance of wearing a face mask.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, the state has 96,335 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of June 17th, 2020. An estimated 62,368 have recovered from the virus, while 2,062 people have died.