OWENSBORO, Ky. — Wednesday, May 13, 2020, the Green River District Health Department reported six additional confirmed COVID-19 cases, three in Daviess County, one in Henderson County, one in McLean County and one in Ohio County. The total number of reported COVID-19 cases in the district is 537.
Twenty-three people in the district are currently hospitalized. Of the 537 confirmed cases in the district, 66 (12 percent) have required hospitalization. The district-wide total of recovered cases is now 358 (67 percent). As of May 12, 2020, the state of Kentucky was reporting 6,853 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 321 statewide deaths.
With today’s report of one confirmed case, Ohio County now has a total of 110 cases of COVID-19. Of those 110, 61 patients have recovered. Four Ohio County COVID-19 patients are currently hospitalized and 10 Ohio County patients total have been hospitalized due to COVID-19.
GRDHD is offering Curbside Testing at our clinic sites this week. To schedule an appointment visit the GRDHD website, healthdepartment.org, and follow the COVID-19 Test prompts. Today, testing will be available in Daviess, Hancock, Henderson, Union, and Webster Counties. Testing times are available from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. All of the available testing times have been filled in Daviess and Henderson Counties. You must be pre-registered to be tested. Testing is free of charge and open to Kentucky residents. If you are sick, experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, including but not limited to, fever, cough and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, or feel you have a medical emergency, call your health care provider.
“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” said Clay Horton, Public Health Director. “The next several weeks as we continue on our phased reopening of business it is absolutely critical everyone is vigilant in protecting themselves and each other from the spread of COVID-19.”
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 – 55 percent
Female – 45 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.