State Records Large Spike In Confirmed COVID-19 Cases

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases took a dramatic spike of more than 1,000 new cases last week, jumping from 7,205 on Monday, June 8, to 8,417 on Monday, June 15.

In the state’s District Five, the disease also continued its spread. The district, which includes 10 counties in southwest Oklahoma - Beckham, Caddo, Comanche, Cotton, Greer, Harmon, Jackson, Kiowa, Tillman, and Washita - saw an increase of 60 cases during the week of June 8 through June 12, 2020, bringing the total number for the district to 657 cases.

Washita County’s number of infections remains level at two.

Despite the spike in COVID-19 cases late last week, including record-breaking days of new cases Friday and Saturday, Gov. Stitt announced Friday he had amended Executive Order 2020-20, to allow for a phased-in approach to allowing visitation at long-term care facilities as of Monday, June 15.

The specifics of the phased visitation plan were included in a guidance document created by the Oklahoma Department of Health. It requires care facilities to provide the following information to the Oklahoma State Department of Health: the name, phone number, and email address of a licensed health care professional to serve as the facility’s “infection preventionist,” evidence the infection preventionist completed a CDC training course, and a monitoring plan for the facility’s infection surveillance, staff training, and infection prevention and control practices.

Stitt touted the phased plan and the new guidance.

“It is important we take a measured and responsible approach to allowing visitors to our nursing homes and long-term care facilities, just as we did with the rest of our state,” Stitt said in a Friday press release. “This guidance will allow us to continue to protect the health and lives of Oklahomans while allowing them to safely resume valuable interactions with their loved ones.”

State health commissioner Lance Frye said the plan comes after working closely with “communities and providers” to develop the new guidance.

“The Health Department has worked closely with communities and providers on safely easing in visitations for residents at nursing homes and long-term care facilities across Oklahoma,” he said. “Our mission is to support the mental health and quality of life for residents, while also taking into consideration the realities of COVID-19. We encourage families as they reunite with their loved ones to consider getting tested in advance and to wear masks for visitation and closely follow heightened protocols at the facilities.”