Ankle monitors ordered for Louisville, Kentucky residents exposed to Covid-19 who refuse to stay home

Kentucky is taking severe measures to ensure residents exposed to the coronavirus stay at home. Louisville residents who have been in contact with coronavirus patients but refuse to isolate themselves are being made to wear ankle bracelets.

A judge has ordered one resident to stay at home after refusing to self-quarantine. CNN affiliate WDRB reports that the person, identified as D.L. in the court order, is living with “someone who has tested positive for the illness and another person who is a presumptive case,” according to an affidavit from Dr. Sarah Moyer, director of the health department.

Having been exposed to the highly contagious disease, D.L. was ordered to stay at home last week. But according to family members, D.L. “leaves the house often.”

When D.L. didn’t respond to the health department’s messages, Jefferson Circuit Court Judge Angela Bisig ordered the Department of Corrections to fit D.L. with a global positioning device for the next 14 days. If D.L. leaves the house again, he or she could be criminally charged, WDRB reports.

D.L. is not the only Louisville resident ordered to wear ankle monitors to contain the spread of the coronavirus. According to WDRB, there are three other known cases so far. Two other people who live in the same home — one who has tested positive, and the other who has not — were ordered to remain in their home last week after both refused to stay isolated.

And another man was put under house arrest after he went out shopping despite having tested positive for the coronavirus, according to WDRB.

WDRB says Jefferson County courts has set up an on-call judge for these types of cases.

Under Kentucky’s current guidelines aimed at curbing the spread of the virus, only life-sustaining businesses can remain open.

Organizations that provide charitable and social services can also remain open. These include food banks and places that provide food, shelter and social services to those who are economically disadvantaged or people with disabilities. But even these organizations must implement social distancing while carrying out their work.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has recommended all schools remain closed through May 1st and has expanded travel restrictions. Out-of-staters who aren’t passing through have to quarantine for 14 days, wherever they are coming from.

The state will also be releasing at least 186 prisoners convicted of not-so-serious crimes on commuted sentences. However, the prisoners must identify a residence where they can stay and where they will be required to quarantine for a period of 14 days, according to Michael Brown, the secretary of the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet.

Governor Beshear has announced a COVID-19 reporting hotline (833-KY SAFER, or 833-597-2337) for complaints about non-compliance with coronavirus mandates. Labor Cabinet personnel will monitor the hotline from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.

Residents can also visit the website kysafer.ky.gov to make online complaints.