OWENSBORO, Ky. — Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020, the Green River District Health Department reported 147 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases with 56 in Daviess County, one in Hancock County, 40 in Henderson County, five in McLean County, 22 in Ohio County, 17 in Union County and six in Webster County. The COVID-19 related deaths were a resident of Daviess County and a resident of McLean County.
This is the largest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in a single day for the seven-county region, surpassing the Oct. 3, 2020, report of 140 new cases.
- There have been 6,089 reported COVID-19 cases in the district to date.
- 29 reported confirmed cases are currently hospitalized.
- 407 (7 percent) have required hospitalization.
- There have been 106 COVID-19 related deaths in the district.
- The district-wide total of recovered cases is now 4,860 (80 percent).
- The state of Kentucky is currently reporting 122,567 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 1,576 statewide deaths.
Ohio County has already picked up 30 new confirmed COVID-19 cases this week with the addition of 22 new cases today. Ohio County’s total cases now stand at 715 with 595 of those patients having recovered. Ohio County has 120 active confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Ohio County has far more active COVID-19 cases now than it did during the worst of the pandemic this past summer.
Of those 120 active COVID-19 patients, four are hospitalized. Since the start of the pandemic, 50 Ohio Countians have been hospitalized and 11 have died due to COVID-19 related complications.
Ohio County Schools has added a new confirmed COVID-19 case, as a member of the Ohio County Schools Board of Education Central Office staff member has tested positive for the disease. OC Schools now has two confirmed COVID-19 cases, the staff member at the Central Office and a staff member at Ohio County High School.
The new confirmed cases bring the total COVID-19 cases at OC Schools to 20 with 18 of those patients having recovered. The 18 recovered COVID-19 patients eight staff members and 10 students, nine of whom were in-person learning students and one was a remote/virtual learning student.
The large number of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases moved Ohio County Judge-Executive David Johnston to provide an update from his office on the Ohio County Fiscal Court Facebook page.
“Our numbers have jumped so drastically. We are now at (a confirmed) 120 people in our county that are sick with COVID-19, some very sick,” Johnston said. “We’re in the worst position we’ve ever been in, by far with 120 active cases.”
Johnston urged Ohio County residents to take the pandemic seriously.
“If any of you are not taking this seriously, you just need to see some of the people that’s had it and just how sick they’ve been or how sick they are now,” Johnston said. “You need to take it seriously. Plus the fact that two out of one hundred of you that get it will die. We really want to emphasize that.”
Ohio County is now a red zone county, meaning the county is reporting new COVID-19 cases at a rate of 25 cases a day per 100,000 people. As of yesterday, Ohio County’s rate was 25 per day per 100,000. With today’s addition of 22 confirmed COVID-19 cases, the rate will more than likely go up. Johnston believes Ohio County will be a red zone county for “several days, at best.”
“Please don’t have parties or get together or events during this time. That’s the only commonality in this, that someone attended some sort of an event or party and came back home and then that family gets (COVID-19),” Johnston said. “Let’s take this seriously, please.”
To view Johnston’s full COVID-19 update, click here.
COVID-19 Testing & Flu Shots
The health department is offering free COVID-19 testing. We encourage anyone who has been in crowds, had close contact with people in public, or traveled recently to get tested. 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. Flu shots, including the high dose vaccine for those 65 years of age and older, can also be scheduled on our website or by calling your county health department for an appointment.
Demographics
The cases being reported from the Green River District Health Department are being investigated and confirmed locally. These cases are then reported to the Kentucky Department for Public Health.
Average Age: 45
Age Range: 1 month to 100 years old
Male: 45 percent
Female: 55 percent
COVID-19 Guidance
“We want to remind people to protect themselves and those around them. Continue to practice the three “W’s:” wear a mask, wash your hands and watch your distance,” said Clay Horton, GRDHD Public Health Director. “This is important in private get together settings with friends and family when interacting with coworkers and in social settings like weddings. Keep any gatherings small and outside to reduce the risk of transmission. Avoid sharing items with anyone outside of your household, since this can promote the spread of the virus. Leaders of organizations like churches and workplace supervisors are encouraged to lead by example and make wise decisions to protect those for whom you are responsible.”
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.
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 healthcare provider. 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 – www.kycovid19.ky.gov. The public can also call the Kentucky COVID-19 hotline at 800-722- 5725.