There’s been a "serious outbreak" of COVID-19 just outside the Hudson Valley.

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Officials in Connecticut are looking to address a spike in coronavirus causes in the city of Danbury. There have been around 180 positive tests for the virus in Danbury this month and nearly 50 new cases on Friday alone.

“This is a serious outbreak in Danbury and we really need an all hands on deck approach. We need everyone in Danbury to take extreme precaution,” Acting DPH Commissioner Deidre S. Gifford said “We appreciate the partnership with municipal and health department leadership in Danbury, as well as health care providers that have testing sites available for members of the community. We are urging anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to get tested as soon as possible, stay home until your test results are known and stay at home for 10 days if you test positive.”

Between August 2–20, Danbury recorded at least 178 new COVID-19 cases, a sharp increase over the previous two-week period when 40 new cases were recorded, officials say.

Much of the outbreak is connected to recent domestic and international travel, officials note. Danbury officials are telling residents to stay home if possible, avoid unnecessary outings, limit indoor gatherings to only those with people you live with and refrain from attending large church services or outdoor gatherings.

Officials are also blaming the recent uptick on neighborhood barbecues and youth sports, ABC reports.

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