COVID-19 creeping closer
The COVID-19 virus edged a little closer to Perkins County Monday when a Phillips County, Colorado individual tested positive for the virus.
Melissa Memorial Hospital in Holyoke, Colorado collected the sample and sent it for testing.
“This individual is currently not hospitalized but is in appropriate isolation,” said Trish McClain, director of the Northeast Colorado Health Department.
With the Phillips County case, Perkins County finds itself almost sandwiched between two counties were positive tests have been confirmed.
In his daily press briefing Tuesday, Governor Pete Rickketts urged all Nebraskans to follow the health directives set out through April 30 to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
That includes social distancing of six feet or more, gathering in groups of no more than 10 people, proper hand washing and sanitizing, disinfecting high-touch surfaces and staying in whenever possible.
Snowbirds returning to Nebraska from other states need to self-quarantine for 14 days upon their arrival.
He said the state is cutting off sales of turkey hunting permits to out-of-staters to limit the number of hunters that come in for the hunting season. If they do come into Nebraska, they must first self-quarantine for 14 days.
Neil Hilton, CEO of Perkins County Health Services, said he and staff members are meeting daily to keep abreast of new developments and prepare if action is needed here.
He said they have stocked up on necessary supplies and are prepared if and when the virus strikes Perkins County.
With the Phillips County case to the west and cases in Lincoln County to the east, Hilton said there is a heightened awareness of the creep of the virus.
Much of Southwest Nebraska remains virus-free but new cases have been reported in Kimball and Scotts Bluff counties in western Nebraska.
If testing becomes more readily available, it’s possible more positive tests will occur.
However, there has been relatively little testing in Southwest Nebraska thus far, according to a map updated daily by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
Hilton said PCHS has only conducted one test thus far.
Eight tests have been conducted in Chase County; one in Dundy County; two in Keith County and one in Hitchcock County.
The much larger county of Red Willow has conducted four tests thus far. No positive tests were recorded in any of these counties.
People need to be smart and practice the directives, Hilton said. Don’t go out and about if not necessary, he added.
Ricketts said it’s likely outstate Nebraska will start seeing more cases as the outbreak lessens in eastern Nebraska.
Nebraska numbers
As of 11 a.m. MT Tuesday, 3,111 people in Nebraska have been tested. Of those, only 172 positive tests have been confirmed.
Three people have died from the virus thus far.
For updated daily information on Nebraska cases, go to ddhs.ne.gov and follow the COVID-19 links.