Ankle Monitors are Now being Used on Louisville, Kentucky Residents Who Contract the Wuhan Virus
Jose Nino
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Kentucky is taking draconian measures to keep individuals who catch the Wuhan Virus at home.
Louisville residents who come into contact with Wuhan Virus patients but do not isolate themselves are being forced to wear ankle bracelets.
A judge even ordered one resident to stay at home after not deciding to self-quarantine. According to a CNN affiliate WDRB, 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,” per an affidavit from Dr. Sarah Moyer, the director of the health department.
Due to his exposure to the Wuhan Virus, D.L. was instructed to stay at home last week. However, family members claimed that D.L. “leaves the house often.”
When D.L. did not respond or even comply with the health department’s messages, Jefferson Circuit Court Judge Angela Bisig instructed the Department of Corrections to place a global positioning device on D.L. for the next two weeks. If D.L. goes out of the house again, he or she could face criminal charges, according to the WDRB report.
D.L. is not alone in having to wear ankle monitors to keep the virus from spreading. WDRB reported that there are three other known cases at the moment. Two other people who live in the same house — one who tested positive for the virus, and another who tested negative — were ordered to stay at home last week after both refused to self-quarantine.
WDRB also reported that another man was subject to house arrest after he left his house to go shopping despite having tested positive for the Wuhan Virus.
WDRB reports that Jefferson County courts have set up an on-call judge for these kinds of scenarios.
Under Kentucky’s current lockdown measures, only “essential” businesses can stay open.
Organizations providing charitable and social services can also stay open. These include food banks and places that offer food, shelter, and social services to economically disadvantaged or disabled people. However, these organizations must practice social distancing while doing their work.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has advised that all schools stay closed through May 1st and has implemented travel restrictions. The state is also releasing at least 186 prisoners convicted of “non-violent” crimes on commuted sentences. According to Michael Brown, the secretary of the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, prisoners have to find a place where they can stay and are then required to self-quarantine for a period of 14 days.
Although not as draconian as states like California, which have infringed on gun rights by having municipalities declare gun stores as “non-essential”, Kentucky is beginning to take measures that would concern any advocate of civil liberties.
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