OWENSBORO, Ky. — Wednesday, May 6, 2020, the Green River District Health Department reported 17 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases, 12 in Daviess County, two in Henderson County, one in McLean County, one in Ohio County and one in Union County. The total number of reported COVID-19 cases in the district is 461.
Twenty-three people in the district are currently hospitalized. Of the 461 confirmed cases in the district, 55 (12 percent) have required hospitalization. The district-wide total of recovered cases is now 230 (50 percent). As of May 5, 2020, the state of Kentucky was reporting 5,822 confirmed cased of COVID-19 and 275 statewide deaths.
With today’s new case, Ohio County has a total of 75 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Of those cases, 27 have recovered, leaving the county with 48 active cases of COVID-19. Currently, two people are hospitalized, and six have ever been hospitalized.
GRDHD is offering drive-through testing for COVID-19. Testing began Tuesday, May 5 and runs through Thursday, May 7, 2020. All of the available testing times have been filled. You must be pre-registered to be tested. The testing site is on the campus of Owensboro Community and Technical College. If you are pre-registered for testing, you will be contacted to complete the registration process.
“We all play a part in stopping the spread of COVID-19. Stay home, avoid crowds, wash your hands, and practice physical social distancing – staying at least 6 feet away from others. We can’t let our guard down. We still expect to see new cases in the days and weeks ahead.” said Clay Horton, Public Health Director. “We are happy to have been given the opportunity to help expand testing resources in our community. This is just one more piece to fulfilling our testing needs. We are thankful of all the help and support we get from our partners in the health care sector who are also continuing to provide COVID-19 testing for our community as well.”
The cases being reported from the Green River District Health Department have been investigated and confirmed locally. These cases are then reported to the Kentucky Department for Public Health.
Additional demographic information includes:
Average age: 44
Age range: 7 months old – 93
Male – 54.9 percent
Female – 45.1 percent
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.