OWENSBORO, Ky. — Friday, May 22, 2020, the Green River District Health Department reported five additional confirmed COVID-19 cases, two in Daviess County, two in Henderson County and one in Ohio County. The total number of reported COVID-19 cases in the district is 614.
Fourteen people in the district are currently hospitalized. Of the 614 confirmed cases in the district, 72 (12 percent) have required hospitalization. The district-wide total of recovered cases is now 469 (76 percent).
As of May 22, 2020, the state of Kentucky was reporting 8,286 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 386 statewide deaths.
Ohio County has climbed to 145 total confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 97 of those patients having recovered from the disease. There are currently 48 confirmed active cases of COVID-19 in Ohio County. There are no Ohio County patients hospitalized with a total of 10 having been hospitalized.
The health department will continue to offer free COVID-19 testing next week. Curbside testing will be available at its clinic site in McLean County Tuesday, May 26. The health department will also provide testing from its mobile unit in Fordsville Tuesday.
Testing will be available at the health department’s clinic sites in Daviess, Hancock, Union, and Webster County Wednesday, May 27. GRDHD will also provide testing from its mobile unit at the Henderson Housing Authority 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 be providing testing next week at Henderson Community and Technical College from May 26 through May 28. 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 – 55.6 percent
Female – 44.4 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.
