COVID-19 UPDATES 4/7/20

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


HEALTH DEPARTMENT STATUS

• As of this advisory, there are 1,472 positive cases of COVID-19 and 67 deaths in Oklahoma. There are now 42 positive cases in Comanche County. 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.

RECOVERIES CONTINUING

• In the state’s second report listing the data, 522 people are listed as RECOVERED from COVID-19.

 
TESTING BROADER THAN PREVIOUS REPORTS

• With private labs continuing to report negative test results to the state, officials report the presence of testing in Oklahoma has been TENFOLD what the state could previously report.
• More than 11,000 negative private lab tests dating back to early February have now been REPORTED to the state, representing the bulk of the 13,148 tests the state now reports have been administered.
• Until recently, private labs had only been reporting POSITIVE cases to the state, and the absence of reported negative cases prohibited the state from fully reporting testing activity.
• Testing capacity continues to be EXPANDED.

 
DISTANCE LEARNING

• Public school students began DISTANCE LEARNING on Monday, utilizing a mix of digital, mailed and picked-up instructional materials.
• Several resources are available for parents seeking advice on helping their children with distance learning, including the American Academy of Pediatrics resource page at healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/chest-lungs/Pages/Working-and-Learning-from-Home-During-the-COVID-19-Outbreak.aspx

 
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS ENHANCES PROTECTIONS

• For their safety, on Sunday evening inmates in state prisons began being confined to cells with access to necessary services. Corrections officials are monitoring this order DAILY.
• These steps were preceded by:
  • Suspension of VISITATION, with increased access to free phone calls
  • Suspension of county jail and interstate compact INTAKES
  • Staff health SCREENINGS
  • Protective MASKS for all inmates and staff
• To learn more about how inmates are being protected and how to contact them, VISIT doc.ok.gov

 
As always, I can be reached via email at daniel.pae@okhouse.gov and phone at 405-557-7374.