OWENSBORO, Ky. — Today May 16, 2020, the Green River District Health Department reported six additional confirmed COVID-19 cases, four in Daviess County and two in Henderson County. The total number of reported COVID-19 cases in the district is 576. Nineteen people in the district are currently hospitalized. Of the 576 confirmed cases in the district, 67 (12 percent) have required hospitalization. The district-wide total of recovered cases is now 387 (67 percent).
As of May 15, 2020, the state of Kentucky was reporting 7,444 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 332 statewide deaths.
Ohio County gets a welcome reprieve with today’s report of no new confirmed cases of COVID-19. Today was the first day since May 4 that Ohio County has had no new cases reported. Since May 4, Ohio County has added 61 cases to its total number of confirmed cases of 128. Of those 128 cases, 63 patients have recovered, leaving Ohio County with 67 active cases of COVID-19. Of those 67 patients, one is currently hospitalized.
The health department will continue to offer free COVID-19 testing next week. Curbside testing will be available Tuesday at its clinic sites in McLean and Webster Counties. The GRDHD will also provide testing from its mobile unit Tuesday in Fordsville. Testing will be available at the health department’s Daviess, Hancock, Henderson, and Union County locations this Wednesday.
To schedule an appointment visit the GRDHD website, https://healthdepartment.org, and follow the COVID-19 Test prompts. You must be pre-registered to be tested. If you are sick, experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, including but not limited to, a fever, cough and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, or feel you have a medical emergency, call your health care provider.
Kroger will also provide testing at the Ohio County Fairgrounds next week, Tuesday –Thursday. To sign-up for the Kroger testing site visit https://www.thelittleclinic.com/drivethru-testing.
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: 43
Age range: 7 months old – 93
Male – 55.5 percent
Female – 44.5 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.