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UPDATE: Panhandle Public Health Announces Risk Level Moved to 'High'

COVID-Related Deaths Increases by 2

The Panhandle Public Health District (PPHD) released a statement Monday afternoon, Oct. 12, that six Panhandle counties have joined Box Butte County in moving to orange on the risk dial. The risk dial is a four-level definition of COVID-19's impact on the Panhandle region. Green is the lowest level, then Yellow (Moderate), Orange (High risk) and finally Red (Severe risk). The chart has shown a slow but steady increase in recent weeks. The PPHD stresses the chart is only guidance and does not replace federal, state and local directed health measures.

The PPHD reports a total of 1,106 COVID-19 cases, 185 that are active, 910 recovered and 11 that have resulted in death. The PPHD reports a total of 16,401 tested since March.

The Unified Command reported 77 new cases of COVID in the Panhandle since Oct. 12. Of those, 13 were children ages 19 and younger, and 64 were adults. Three of the children were in Dawes County and contacted the virus by Community Spread while two in Dawes County were by Close Contact. Cheyenne County had one case, by Close Contact, as did Kimball County. Sheridan County had two cases by Community Spread and one by Close Contact. Scotts Bluff County had two by Community Spread and one by Close Contact.

For the adults, Scotts Bluff County had the highest concentration with 10 new Close Contact cases and seven by Community Spread. Box Butte and Dawes Counties each had eight cases by Community Spread and six by Close Contact. Cheyenne County has four new cases of Community Spread and two of unknown origin. Deuel County has two new cases by Community Spread and one of Close Contact. Garden County and Morrill County have one each of Community Spread, and Garden County has one of unknown origin.

Unified Command has also reported an additional 42 people have recovered from the COVID virus.

The PPHD reported Oct. 8 that two more people have died in the Panhandle region as a result of the COVID-19 virus.

The two, were in Scotts Bluff County and both women; one in her 80s and the second in her 90s.

Unified Command confirms 62 more cases of COVID in the Panhandle since reporting on Oct. 5. For children ages 19 and younger by close contact there were one in Box Butte, Cheyenne, Scotts Bluff and Sheridan Counties. Attributed to community spread, there were one in Sheridan County, Scotts Bluff and Dawes Counties; and one in Scotts Bluff by unknown origin.

Fifty-four of the 62 new cases are adults; eight in Box Butte County (three by Close Contact, three unknown and five by Community Spread), two in Cheyenne County (one by Close Contact an two by Community Spread), 14 in Dawes County (seven by Community Spread and seven by Close Contact), one in Garden County by unknown origin, six in Kimball County (one by Close Contact and five by Community Spread), 15 in Scotts Bluff County (13 by Community Spread, one by Close Contact and one of an unknown source), three in Sheridan County (two by Community Spread and one by an unknown source an one in Sioux County by Community Spread.

The Unified Command has also confirmed there were 26 recoveries in the region: eight were in Box Butte County, seven in Scotts Bluff County, three in Dawes County, two in Cheyenne County, Kimball County and in Sheridan County, and one in Garden County and Grant County.

All close contact cases will be quarantined and actively monitored for symptoms by public health officials, according to an update from PPHD Assistant Health Director and Wellness Coordinator Jessica Davies.

As of Oct. 8, there have been 15,804 tests conducted with 1,029 returning positive for a cumulative positivity rate of 6.5 percent. Of those testing positive, 868 have recovered. There are 150 active cases and 13 hospitalizations.

Test sites include Sidney Regional Medical Center 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, Morrill County Community Hospital in Bridgeport daily (Call 308-262-1616 for testing, same day results), Regional West Health Services in Scottsbluff noon to 4 p.m. Mondays and Fridays and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays.

 

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