The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is encouraging COVID-19 testing for members of a Dover church and attendees of the church’s weekend conference. DPH is making the recommendation after at least three members of the Destiny Christian Church in Dover tested positive for COVID-19. At least two of the individuals attended recent services there before learning they were positive for the disease potentially exposing other church members, officials said Monday. In addition, the church held a three-day conference this weekend called the Life Conference 2020, as well as a three-day conference on the weekend of July 17 – 19 called The Prophetic Conference, drawing a few hundred persons each weekend and potentially increasing the risk of exposure and transmission of the virus to others, according to health officials.
DPH and the Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) are working with the leadership of Destiny Christian Church to offer testing to members of the congregation and conference attendees on Tuesday, July 28, 2020, from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., at Destiny Christian Church, 2161 Forrest Ave., Dover. This testing event will also be open to the public. Pre-registration is encouraged but not required, and can be completed at delaware.curativeinc.com.
Information about current and future testing sites is available at de.gov/gettested.
“Knowing your COVID-19 status is one of the most important things you can do to prevent spread of the virus,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “Based on the timing of when the positive individuals received their test results, their last exposures to others in the congregation, and the large weekend events, we strongly recommend anyone who has been at this church over the last two to three weeks get tested. Doing so will help us identify any additional positives and ensure that those individuals are self-isolating at home to prevent further spread of the disease in our community.”