COVID-19 UPDATES 4/21/20

Let’s Stay Calm, Stay Positive, and STAY HOME!


HEALTH DEPARTMENT STATUS

• As of this advisory, there are 2,807 positive cases of COVID-19 and 164 deaths in Oklahoma. 
• There are now 72 positive cases in Comanche County. 
• There has now been one person who’s passed away in Comanche County. 
• In Lawton, there are now 63 confirmed positive cases. 
• Please follow CDC guidelines and the Governor’s executive order. 
• The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) continues to support guidelines from the CDC related to social distancing and personal hygiene. OSDH encourages Oklahomans to stay home, reduce person-to-person contact, wash hands frequently, and avoid touching your face. If you develop symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath or cough, please contact your medical professional or call the COVID-19 call center at 877-215-8336 or 211 for assistance.
• For more information, visit coronavirus.health.ok.gov.

CURRENT STATE BUDGET STABILIZED

• State services will receive uninterrupted FUNDING for the rest of the fiscal year, through June, after action Monday by the Board of Equalization finalized the budget stabilization bills the Legislature passed two weeks ago.
• All states, including Oklahoma, are projecting significant government REVENUE loss due to COVID-19’s economic slowdown. Oklahoma will address the projected revenue shortfall in next year’s budget with existing reserve funds, reforms and emergency federal funding that may soon be available.

 
TRIBAL NATIONS HELPING STATE’S RESPONSE

• The Chickasaw Nation and the Choctaw Nation are operating DRIVE-THRU TESTING operations for the general public.
  • The Chickasaw Nation locations are in Ardmore, Purcell and Ada, with more information available at: 
    chickasaw.net/News/Press-Releases/Release/Chickasaw-Nation-Builds-COVID-19-Test-Centers-53681.aspx
  • The Choctaw Nation location is in McAlester, with more information available at: 
    choctawnation.com/news-events/press-media/choctaw-nation-offers-covid-19-testing-public
• The Cherokee Nation is providing disaster FOOD services to households in need of assistance.
  • In addition to its existing food distribution programs, the Cherokee Nation was authorized last week to provide United States Department of Agriculture foods to needy households through a pickup location and four mobile food delivery vehicles.

 
THIRD PARTY CDL RENEWALS AUTHORIZED

• ·       To maintain an adequate pool of COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE drivers, federal officials granted a waiver allowing states to use third party commercial driver’s license (CDL) test examiners to continue administering CDL tests while DMVs remain closed or operating under limited capacity.

 
DAILY STATISTICAL SNAPSHOT
·       RECOVERIES were up by 39, putting total recoveries at 1,614. DEATHS were up by 3, putting total deaths at 143.
·       There have been 44,489 TESTS reported, with 2,680 CONFIRMED cases after 81 new cases yesterday. There are 923 ACTIVE cases.
·       There are 153 people HOSPITALIZED for COVID-19 and 193 people hospitalized for INVESTIGATION of COVID-19. Of the 346 people hospitalized for a positive case or for investigation, 164 are in ICU, leaving 36% of the state’s current ICU beds available. There have been 561 hospitalizations over the course of the pandemic.
 
As always, I can be reached via email at daniel.pae@okhouse.gov and phone at 405-557-7374.