OWENSBORO, Ky. — Monday April 20, 2020, the Green River District Health Department reported four additional confirmed COVID-19 cases, three in Henderson County and one in Webster County. The total number of reported COVID-19 cases in the district is 200.
Eleven people in the district are currently hospitalized. Of the 200 confirmed cases in the district, 36 (18 percent) have required hospitalization. The district-wide total of recovered cases is now 100 (50 percent).
“Availability of COVID-19 testing remains to be a national, state and local challenge. The health department frequently receives the question about how many COVID-19 tests have been performed locally. We know it is not as many as we need. However, it is extremely difficult to get accurate data about this,” said Clay Horton, Public Health Director. “Most of the local tests are being sent to a number of private or commercial laboratories that are performing these tests. While positive results are required to be reported to the health department by the health care provider and the laboratories, the local health department does not typically receive the negative result reports. The Kentucky Department for Public Health does receive information on negative results performed by some, but not all, of the commercial laboratories. Given the scale and speed of the COVID-19 response and that identifying positive cases is the most pressing priority, that information is not immediately available to us on a local level. There are even greater challenges in obtaining data about testing that has been conducted on our residents by out-of-state medical providers. We are continuing to work with the state health department to find solutions to these reporting challenges and more importantly ways to support additional testing capacity here locally.”
The health department wants to reinforce this guidance with the community:
- Stay home, avoid crowds and social distance
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick (fever, cough, sneeze, and difficulty breathing).
- To avoid close contact, stay at least 6 feet away from others.
- Wear a cloth face cover when you have to go out in public.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- To avoid coughing into your hands, you can cough into your elbow.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
Adults over 60 and people who have severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease seem to be at higher risk for more serious COVID-19 illness. Those people should be extra vigilant and stay home. To help answer the community’s questions about COVID-19, the Kentucky Department for Public health has set up a website with the latest guidance and information for Kentucky residents. The site can be accessed at www.kycovid19.ky.gov. The public can also call the Kentucky COVID-19 hotline at 800-722-5725.
As of 11 a.m. April 20, 2020, total reported cases in Green River District by county are:
Additional demographic information includes:
Average age: 48
Age range: 16 – 93
Male – 46.5 percent
Female – 53.5 percent
