By PPHD
Five more cases announced, Panhandle total: 141, Active: 63, Recovered: 78 Free drive-thru COVID-19 testing available Wednesday-Saturday in five Panhandle communities
One Garden County female in her 40s and four Scotts Bluff County residents over 80, one male and three females, were all close contacts of a previously positive case.
Exposure is defined as at least 15 minutes, less than six feet apart. There are no community exposure sites identified. The investigations are complete, all close contacts will be quarantined and actively monitored twice daily for fever and respiratory symptoms by public health officials.
March 2-June 1, 2020 Total Tests Completed: 2,977 Positive: 141 Percent Positive: 4.7% Recovered: 78 Active cases: 63 Hospitalized To-date: 16 Deaths: 0
• Box Butte County: 2 cases (1 active, 1 recovered)
• Cheyenne County: 10 cases (1 active, 9 recovered)
• Dawes County: 1 case (recovered)
• Garden County: 2 cases (active)
• Kimball County: 10 cases (10 recovered)
• Morrill County: 11 cases (1 active, 10 recovered)
• Scotts Bluff County: 105 Cases (58 active, 47 recovered)
The following is the drive-thru testing details for this coming week:
· Chadron: Wednesday 8 a.m. to noon at the Dawes County Fairgrounds, 355 E Norfolk Ave.
· Alliance: Thursday 8 a.m. to noon at the Alliance Fire Department, 315 Cheyenne Ave.
· Scottsbluff: Friday from 8 to 11 a.m. and 3 to 6 p.m. at Panhandle Public Health District, 18 W. 16th Street.
· Oshkosh: Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the City Maintenance Building, 115 West First Street.
· Sidney: 8 a.m. to noon Sunday at the old Wheatbelt Building, 2103 Illinois Street.
Complete the brief assessment at TestNebraska.com to determine if you are selected to be tested. Even if you are not initially offered a time slot you may be invited upon availability. Please call 308-262-5764 if you do not have computer access and need assistance.
Increased COVID-19 testing is an important piece to finding the virus and keeping people, families, and communities safe from disease spread.
These types of drive-thru testing clinics are staffed by trained professionals. There is no charge to be tested through this process. This is not an antibody test. Testing is available for any Nebraska resident; minors need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
COVID-19 symptoms include cough, fever, shortness of breath, headache, sore throat, chills, muscle pain, loss of taste or smell, nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting.
Nebraska has been working to increase access by having several teams conduct drive-thru testing in different counties each day. Recent testing from May 21-22 resulted in 411 tests conducted and six positives in the Panhandle were confirmed.
Anyone in the community does not have to wait for this drive-thru clinic for testing. If you and your provider suspect a COVID-19 infection, your provider can order testing.
Panhandle Public Health District, Region 21, 22, and 23 Emergency Management, and Scotts Bluff County Health Department are working as a unified command on this evolving situation. Essential updates will be regularly communicated to the public and community partners.
For the most up to date information from the CDC, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.
Panhandle Public Health District is working together to improve the health, safety, and quality of life for all who live, learn, work, and play in the Panhandle. Our vision is that we are a healthier and safer Panhandle Community. Visit our website www.pphd.org.