OWENSBORO, Ky. — Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, the Green River District Health Department reported 51 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases with 35 in Daviess County, two in Hancock County, five in Henderson County, two in McLean County, one in Ohio County, five in Union County and one in Webster County. The COVID- 19 related death was a resident of Union County.
There have been 19,574 reported COVID-19 cases in the district to date.
- The district-wide total of recovered cases is now 16,577 (85%).
- 17 reported confirmed cases are currently hospitalized.
- 814 (4%) have required hospitalization.
- There have been 324 COVID-19 related deaths in the district.
- The state of Kentucky is currently reporting 390,762 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 4,318 statewide deaths.
Ohio County added just one new confirmed COVID-19 case today. Hopefully, Ohio County has righted the ship and our days of picking up 20 and 30 new cases at a time are over. With today’s new case, Ohio County’s total cases are 2,292 with 1,965 of those patients having recovered or died.
Currently, OHio County has a total of 327 active cases with three of those patients being hospitalized. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 114 Ohio Countians have been hospitalized and 47 Ohio Countians have died due to COVID-19 related complications.
Ohio County Schools added one new confirmed COVID-19 case since yesterday’s report. OC Schools now has had a total of 189 confirmed COVID-19 cases since school started. Of those total cases, 187 patients have recovered with 89 of those recoveries being staff members and 98 of those recoveries being students. Of the student recoveries, 95 were in-person learning students and three were remote/virtual learning students.
Currently, OC Schools has two confirmed active COVID-19 cases, both of which are in-person learning students. One of the active student cases is from Beaver Dam Elementary and the other active student case is from Ohio County High School.
GRDHD COVID-19 Vaccine Availability
Green River District Health Department is continuing to vaccinate in tiers 1A and 1B, which includes health care workers, first responders, daycare workers, and those 70 years of age or older. As vaccine quantities and available appointment times allow, persons in Phase 1C with an emphasis on those aged 60 and older may also be scheduled to ensure our vaccination sites are administering 90% or more of all vaccine doses within 7 days of arrival. Visit healthdepartment.org or call your local county health department to be placed on our waiting list.
“The vaccine will save lives. It is important for us to get as many people vaccinated as soon as we can,” said Clay Horton, GRDHD Public Health Director.
“As we move into the next phase of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important for us to continue to practice the three “W’s: wear a mask, wash your hands, and watch your distance. It is important to protect yourself and those around you,” said Horton. “This is crucial when interacting with anyone outside of your household, including friends, extended family, coworkers, and in public settings. Do not host or attend gatherings of any kind. Leaders of organizations like churches, team coaches, and workplace supervisors are encouraged to lead by example and make wise decisions to protect those for whom you are responsible.”
Additional COVID-19 Vaccine Information
Kentucky residents can visit vaccine.ky.gov to determine which phase they are in, find a vaccine location, and sign-up for update notifications.
Kentucky COVID-19 vaccine dashboard and information: https://govstatus.egov.com/ky-covid-vaccine.
Kentucky COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline: 800-722-5725 can answer general COVID-19 vaccine questions.
Owensboro Health has vaccines available to healthcare workers in the region, first responders, and the general population over the age of 70. You can make a new appointment online at owensborohealth.org/vaccine or by calling central scheduling at 270-685-7100.
Information on COVID-19 vaccine at Deaconess in Henderson County and Union County can be found here, https://www.deaconess.com/Coronavirus/COVID-19-Vaccine.
Ohio County Healthcare is registering patients 70 and older to receive the COVID-19 vaccine when supplies are available. To sign up, individuals age 70+ can call 270-215-9082 Monday through Friday from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm or visit https://ochcares.com/COVID.
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: 44
Age Range: 1 month to 102 years old
Male: 46.5%
Female: 53.5%
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 crucial when interacting with anyone outside of your household, including friends, extended family, coworkers and in public settings. Do not host or attend gatherings of any kind. Leaders of organizations like churches, team coaches 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.