As many parts of the world remain on lockdown to help stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, authorities in Kentucky have introduced news measures to ensure people are following orders – by making them wear ankle monitors.

According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, circuit judges in Louisville recently ordered two coronavirus patients and one coronavirus patient’s relative to wear the ankle tags after they broke quarantine conditions.

Judge Charles Cunningham ordered two relatives to wear ankle monitors on 27 March after they both refused to stay indoors – despite the fact one of them had tested positive for the virus.

The third was issued earlier this month when a local who had tested positive for coronavirus refused to self-isolate.

Issuing these health-related civil orders is new territory for the courts, with Cunningham telling the Courier-Journal: “It’s something we’re all feeling our way through.

“We’re trying to figure out how this should be done.”

Amy Hess, the city’s chief of public services (which includes oversight of Metro Corrections and Emergency Services), also told the outlet that the house arrest approach is useful when it comes to enforcing social distancing.

“The home incarceration program is well-suited for this,” she said.

“It provides us with the proper amount of distancing. We can monitor activity after (the monitoring device) gets affixed to them … to make sure they’re not further affecting the community.“

She added: “We would prefer not to have to do it at all.”

On Wednesday 1 April, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear confirmed cases had increased by 93 to a total of 687, with three new deaths taking the number of fatalities to 20.

“While 93 is a lot of cases, this is less than yesterday’s [increase],” Beshear said in his daily Capitol news conference.

“Our rate of increase is lower at the moment than anticipated, and that’s a good thing, overall, for our health care capacity.”