OWENSBORO, Ky. — Thursday, May 7, 2020, the Green River District Health Department reported 15 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases, five in Daviess County, three in Henderson County, one in McLean County and six in Ohio County. The total number of reported COVID-19 cases in the district is 476.
Twenty-four people in the district are currently hospitalized. Of the 476 confirmed cases in the district, 58 (12 percent) have required hospitalization. The district-wide total of recovered cases is now 241 (51 percent). As of May 6, 2020, the state of Kentucky was reporting 5,934 confirmed cased of COVID-19 and 283 statewide deaths.
Ohio County’s total number of cases continues to rise as the county has now reached 81 total confirmed cases. With today’s six new cases, Ohio County has surpassed Henderson County with the second most confirmed COVID-19 cases in the seven-county Green River District. Only Daviess County has more confirmed COVID-19 cases than Ohio County.
Of the 81 cases, 27 patients have recovered leaving Ohio County with 54 active cases. Currently, there are three patients in the hospital and there have been seven total COVID-19 Ohio County patients hospitalized.
Ohio County Judge-Executive David Johnston yesterday confirmed a Perdue Farms employee died as a result of COVID-19, but with today’s report of no deaths in the Green River District, it can be assumed the employee was not an Ohio County resident.
Perdue Farms has been hit hard by the coronavirus as over 180 employees have tested positive for the disease. Wednesday, all employees were tested for COVID-19.
GRDHD concludes its third day of testing on the campus of Owensboro Community and Technical College. You must be pre-registered to be tested. All of the available testing times have been filled.
“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 – 54.6 percent
Female – 45.4 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.