Health officials say Tahoe tourism led to spike in virus cases in El Dorado County

Jessica Mensch reports

ROLE, FOX FORTY'S JESSICAMENSCH BREAKING DOWN THENUMBERS AND WHAT'S BEING DONETO SLOW THEM DOWN.WELL IT'S EXACTLY WHATPUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS AREWORRIED ABOUT WHAT THEYDECIDED TO REOPEN PEOPLECOMING OUT HERE TO ENJOY THEBEAUTY OF LAKE TAHOE.

WE'REALSO BRINGING THE VIRUS.

SONOW THEY'RE CONSIDERING SOMEMORE RESTRICTIONS.LEAVES OF TOURISM KEEPSOUTH LAKE TAHOE, AFLOAT WEDECIDED TO STAND GET A HOUSEGET MOVING AROUND FOR THEFIRST TIME SINCE EVERYTHINGSTARTED JULIE ESSER EASEMARYSVILLE FAMILIES ON THEIRFIRST VACATION SINCE THEPANDEMIC BEGAN TRYING TO STAYSAFE, EXERCISE THE SOCIALDISTANCING EVEN AT HER HOTELIN WARNER MASKS INSIDE ANDHAVE BEEN VERY VERY CAUTIOUSBUT PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALSSAY THAT HASN'T BEEN THE CASEFOR ALL VISITORS AND IT'SLEADING TO A LARGE SPIKE INCOVID-19 CASES SAY OF CABINFEVER AND THEY'RE COMING TOVISIT AND THEY MAY NOT EVENKNOW THAT THEIR CARRIERS OFCOVID-19 THEY ARE MEETINGTHEIR VIRUS WITH US I'M THERESIDENTS OF TOP NO CASES OFTHE VIRUS IN EL DORADO COUNTYHAVE MORE THAN DOUBLED OVERTHE LAST 3 WEEKS REACHING 264CONFIRMED CASES.HALF OF THOSE ARE IN SOUTHLAKE TAHOE, EVEN THOUGH THECOMMUNITY ONLY REPRESENTS 17%OF THE COUNTY'S POPULATION, ITWAS ITS OWN COUNTY.

THEN YES,IT WOULD SURPASSED THETHRESHOLD THAT THE STATEREQUIRES WHEN IT DECIDES TOPUT THE COUNTY ON THE WATCHLIST SO THE COUNTY HEALTHOFFICER IS CONSIDERING UPPINGRESTRICTIONS WITHOUT AN ORDERFROM THE STATE.THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORSWILL HAVE AN EMERGENCY MEETINGTHURSDAY, TO LOOK ATPOTENTIALLY REINSTATING ATRAVEL BAN TO THE BASIN.OR BANNING INDOOR DININGHANDS-ON ACTIVITIES ALL THETOOLS IN OUR TOOL KIT AREBEING CONSIDERED BUT TOURISTSHOPE OTHERS WILL FOLLOW MASKIN DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS SOTHEY CAN COME BACK AND ENJOYCRYSTAL CLEAR WATERS BECAUSEWE WANT TO KEEP IT OPEN.

IT'SIMPORTANT TO REALIZE THISLATEST SPIKE IN CASES DOESN'TEVEN ACCOUNT FOR THE LARGECROWDS THAT WE SAW HERE OVERTHE 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND.BECAUSE OF COURSE THERE ISA LAG TIME IN TESTING.

SO WEWON'T KNOW THE RESULTS OF THATFOR LIKELY AT LEAST ANOTHER