Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins

NBC 5 is reporting that Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins has announced five more “presumptive cases: of the novel coronavirus — COVID-19 — in Dallas County, and is banning gatherings of more than 500 people.

Jenkins said the viral outbreak has entered a new phase in Dallas County because “We have community spread.”

Jenkins has issued a “Declaration of Local Disaster for Public Health Emergency,” say that “extraordinary measures must be taken to contain COVID-19 and prevent its spread throughout Dallas County, including the banning of community gatherings of over 500 people and, additionally, potentially requiring individuals, groups of individuals, or property to undergo additional measures that prevent or control the spread of disease… .”

The public health emergency declaration takes effect immediately and will remain in effect for no more than seven days unless it is continued or renewed by Dallas County Commissioners. The declaration activates the county’s emergency management plan.

Remember: WASH YOUR DAMN HANDS and DON’T HOARD TOILET PAPER.

— Tammye Nash