The spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019, also known as COVID-19, continues throughout southwestern Oklahoma, according to a situation report issued Saturday, April 18, by the Southwest Oklahoma County Health Departments, District Five.
The departments, representing Beckham, Caddo, Comanche, Cotton, Greer, Harmon, Jackson, Kiowa, Tillman, and Washita counties, reported 189 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the district, with nine deaths, as of 11:00 a.m. Saturday. Of those 189 cases, the department has associated 83 with long-term care or nursing home facilities, including 42 in Greer County, 36 in Caddo County, two each in Comanche and Jackson counties, and one in Kiowa County.
Forty-six cases have been confirmed at the Grace Living Center in Mangum, with six fatalities. The report indicated that the health department is in “continuous contact” with the facility.
A new nursing home outbreak was also identified in Caddo County, at Binger Nursing and Rehabilitation. The report also indicates the health department is in “continuous communication” with the facility’s administration to assess needs, symptoms, and the overall health status of the facility.
Comanche County has the largest number of cases in the district, with 65. Greer County, with 55 cases and seven deaths, has the highest per-capita rate of both cases and deaths in the United States, according to the report.
No cases have, as of Saturday, been confirmed in Washita County, but Corn Heritage Village announced last week that one employee had tested positive for the virus. Facility-wide testing was underway as of the last report from facility administration.
A task force for longterm care facilities, including nurses and epidemiologists, has been created and assigned to District 5. The task force will be working with long-term care facilities and provide on-site consultation, assessment, and training to help prevent further spread of the virus.
District-wide testing continues, through curbside testing at every county health department office and through drive-through testing sites. Testing is offered at the county health departments by appointment only and those requesting tests must have COVID-19 symptoms (fever, cough, or shortness of breath) or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive. Children must be at least 12 months of age and meet the adult criteria as far as symptoms or contact from an existing case investigation.
Drive through testing will not be available in Washita County this week. The health department will be operating sites in Lawton, Mangum, Hollis, and Binger.
Gov. Kevin Stitt amended his previous executive order and has announced the state will reopen, in phases, beginning next week. The newest amendment to Stitt’s executive order was signed Thursday, April 17, and modified the previous prohibition on elective medical procedures.
The amendment establishes guidelines for medical providers to determine which elective surgeries can resume beginning April 24. Such procedures include those for conditions that are not inherently life-threatening, but would have the potential to increase morbidity or mortality if not performed. The order also allows for all minor medical procedures and non-emergency dental procedures, including outpatient surgeries, to resume effective May 1.
The health department recommends citizens continue to practice community-based mitigation, including observing social distancing and other guidelines as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control.