It wasn’t a 60-case day, but Lyon County had another double-digit increase in both new cases and active cases Tuesday.
Lyon County Public Health reported 26 new cases Tuesday. The active case amount went up from 262 to 273 after 15 patients recovered. The death toll remains at 41.
Cluster information:
*Colleges and Universities: 1 active cluster, 112 total cases, 28 active cases, 0 deaths
*Schools: 3 active cluster, 41 total cases, 14 active cases, 0 deaths
*Gatherings: 1 active cluster, 6 total cases, 2 active cases, 0 deaths
*Long-Term Care Facility: 1 active cluster, 2 cases, 0 deaths
*Healthcare Facilities: 2 active clusters, 18 cases, 10 active cases
Public Health issued a news release Tuesday afternoon urging residents to take several steps to reduce the virus spread:
- Physically distance at least 6 feet from people with whom you don’t live with.
- Wear a cloth face mask, unless unable to wear one for medical reasons.
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use hand sanitizer.
- Do not gather indoors with people outside of your household.
- Limit gatherings outside, and physically distances and wear a mask.
- Cooperate with public health officials if you have tested positive or are a close contact.
Public Health says the current evidence indicates the virus is spreading because people are not following these steps. With widespread community activity, in part due to social gatherings both large and small, the agency is struggling to keep up with the onslaught of new cases and close contacts per case, which had been as high as 500 per day last week. People confirmed with coronavirus are being asked to report their close contacts, while close contacts are being told to quarantine for at least two weeks.
Public Health is also repeating other guidance for COVID-19 patients:
1. If you have severe symptoms, immediately call your primary care provider and follow their instructions. If your situation is life-threatening, call 911. DO NOT GO TO THE DOCTOR’S OFFICE OR THE EMERGENCY ROOM unless you are instructed to. ALWAYS CALL AHEAD.
2. Isolate yourself in your home. Isolation means that you should not come in contact with anyone, should not leave your house, or allow visitors into your home. Isolation should last 10 days from the date when symptoms appear. Public Health will follow up with you for possible release from isolation.
3. Try to isolate yourself from other household members, when possible. Transmission within the household is very common. However, the risk of transmission can be reduced when sick individuals or those who have tested positive immediately isolate themselves in a different part of the house and have no direct contact with other household members.
4. Make a list of everyone that you have had as a close contact. A close contact is anyone that has been within six feet of an infected person for at least 10 minutes, regardless of mask use, from 2 days before the infected person experienced symptoms, or if asymptomatic, 2 days before the date the laboratory test was performed. Contact each individual and tell them that they have been exposed to the coronavirus and need to remain in quarantine in their home for 14 days from the date they were exposed.
5. Individuals in quarantine should not leave their house, except for emergencies, and should not go to work or school. If the individual in quarantine becomes symptomatic, call the COVID-19 Hotline at 620-208-3741 to schedule a test. Individuals in quarantine can contact Public Health and receive a letter explaining their quarantine for their employers.
No other area counties have reported so far. The Osage County Health Department is not making any reports week due to unspecified short-term staffing issues.
