OWENSBORO, Ky. — Saturday, June 6, 2020, the Green River District Health Department reported four additional confirmed COVID-19 cases in Ohio County. The total number of reported COVID-19 cases in the district is 721.
Eleven people in the district are currently hospitalized. Of the 721 confirmed cases in the district, 86 (12 percent) have required hospitalization. The district-wide total of recovered cases is now 586 (81 percent). The state of Kentucky is currently reporting 10,977 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 466 statewide deaths.
Ohio County continues to gain new cases daily. With today’s four new cases, Ohio County now has had a total of 180 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Ohio County has 25 percent of the total cases for the region and 60 more cases than Henderson County which has around 17 percent of the total cases in the region.
If there is some good news about Ohio County’s 180 total confirmed COVID-19 cases, 132 of those patients have recovered from the disease. Ohio County has 48 active cases with none of those patients hospitalized.
“As things continue to open up we want to remind everyone the virus is still out there,” said Clay Horton, GRDHD Public Health Director. “It is more important now than ever that you use good judgment and follow our recommendations to protect yourself and your family.”
The health department is offering free COVID-19 testing. 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. On June 9 and June 16 curbside testing will be offered at the health department’s clinic locations in McLean and Ohio County. Curbside testing will be offered at clinic locations in Daviess, Hancock, Henderson, Union and Webster County June 10 and June 17. On June 11, the health department will provide testing from its mobile unit in Providence and Sebree.
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.
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 – 53.2 percent
Female – 46.8 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.