Cox said she could not divulge the location of the party, which took place June 20 and was called Pong Fest, due to privacy regulations mandated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA.
Community Impact Newspaper has sent a request for more information to Austin Public Health and will update this story as more details are forthcoming.
The party was one example Cox used to emphasize the importance of social responsibility during her weekly address to residents June 25.
“The city is trying to get a handle on who attended, and the numbers are so big, contact tracing everyone is not possible,” Cox said. “Hopefully we can contain this. The worst thing that can happen is that we don’t contain this.”
Austin public health will be sending a memo encouraging anyone who attended that party to self-isolate for 14 days, she said.
As cases of COVID-19 rise throughout Texas, Travis County and the Lake Travis area, Cox also focused on the residual effects of that increase locally during her address.
“We are seeing sharp increases and more testing, but the positivity rate and hospitalizations are increasing,” she said on Facebook Live from City Hall Chambers.
She added that as of June 25, Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order limiting all nonessential medical procedures, which is a response to the growing need for hospital beds.
Abbott has also moved to limit groups and gatherings of more than 100 people, and Cox said Travis County is following suit, and Lakeway officials are looking into city ordinances in the interest of maximum caution.
Cox also reminded residents that masks are now required for all business’s employees and patrons. A couple of times this week, she said, Lakeway police have been called to help with situations in which people have refused to wear masks.
“Please help our businesses by wearing masks,” she said. “The city did not make an order requiring masks; the county did. But we are strongly encouraging you to wear masks. It’s about being socially responsible.”
Cox also clarified there are no mandates requiring people to wear masks outdoors, but she said the number of active cases in the Lake Travis area grew to 50 in the last week.
City officials are working with Baylor Scott & White to help bring easier ways to get tested in Lakeway, she said, adding the effort is also aimed at helping those who are uninsured get better access to testing.
Cox also said an update on the Fourth of July celebration planned for the Rough Hollow area of Lakeway will be forthcoming next week.
“It’s a scary time because this is unprecedented,” she said. “Just when you think you’ve found your new normal, something shifts on you.”
