Residents of Danbury are being urged to take precautions after what officials have described as a "serious outbreak" of the coronavirus.
State health officials issued a COVID-19 alert that recommends that Danbury residents stay home, avoid unnecessary outings, limit indoor gatherings and avoid attending church services.
It also urged people to cooperate with contact tracers and get tested immediately if they feel they've been exposed, and self-quarantine for 14 days if they test positive.
The alert came days after a spike in cases led the city to cancel youth sports leagues.
The state reported the city has had nearly 180 confirmed cases from August 2 through 20, compared to 40 new confirmed cases in the previous two-week period — 44 new cases were reported on Friday alone.
City officials have blamed the recent uptick on neighborhood gatherings such as barbecues, travel and youth sports.
