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Mayor announces first COVID-19 case in McMinn County, declares State of Emergency

Mayor John Gentry declared a State of Emergency on Friday, giving the county more flexibility to respond to coronavirus.

MCMINN COUNTY, Tenn. — Mayor John Gentry placed McMinn Count under a State of Emergency Friday after officials announced the county's first confirmed case of COVID-19, according to a press release.

Officials said that the patient is currently resting at home, under quarantine, and that officials were monitoring them. According to a press release from Gentry, the Tennessee Department of Health was working to check if the patient was in close contact with other people.

Meanwhile, Gentry placed the county in a State of Emergency. The move gives the county more flexibility to combat the spread of coronavirus. New restrictions were also put in place to combat the spread of COVID-19:

  • The courthouse and Annex entrances are restricted to emergencies
  • Bicentennial Park and Eureka Trail are open, but the mayor said that use is restricted to no more than 10 people on the playground at a time.
  • No team games will be allowed at Bicentennial Park until further notice.
  • In-person court proceedings are suspended, following an order from the Tennessee Supreme Court.

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Gentry emphasized that people should continue practicing social distancing by staying six feet away from others.

"This new virus must be taken very seriously," Gentry said in a press release. "No gathering of 10 more should take place at this time. It is crucial that citizens continue to regularly wash their hands, and I ask everyone to check on elderly relatives and neighbors, to ensure they have food and supplies."

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