Four new COVID-19 cases in Southwest district

McCOOK, Neb. -- Two older people and a female in her 30s in Keith County, and a man in his 20s in Frontier County have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department.

The three Keith County residents included a man in his 80s and a woman in her 60s, both related to direct contact. The woman in her 30s contracted the virus through community spread.

The Frontier County man in his 20s apparently contracted the virus through travel.

The latest cases bring to 29 the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the SWNPHD district. Twenty-four of those have recovered, four are apparently still active and one person has died.

According to the SWNPHD, direct contact means health officials have linked these cases to another identified positive case of COVID-19, and they were in contact within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more.

Community spread means that health officials are unable to identify where the individual became infected. Travel means the individual became infected due to someone traveling. SWNPHD encourages anyone experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 to contact their healthcare provider about being tested. Symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, chills or shaking, muscle pain, headache, or new loss of taste or smell. Anyone with symptoms should call ahead before going into any clinic or medical facility, and then stay at home and limit contact with others while waiting for test results.

TestNebraska events are now being conducted by three local healthcare providers. Mark’s Pharmacy of Cambridge and Community Hospital of McCook have received a contract from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to give residents access to free COVID-19 testing in the health district. Banner Health Systems of Ogallala is currently in process to receive their contract. Anyone interested in being tested for COVID-19 can go to testnebraska.com to take the health assessment and make an appointment at one of the local testing events, with or without symptoms.

The health district is currently in Phase 3 of the Directed Health Measures. A copy of the DHM is located on the website. Updates on cases are given weekly. For more information on COVID-19 in southwest Nebraska, visit www.swhealth.ne.gov. You can also follow SWNPHD on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. SWNPHD serves Chase, Dundy, Frontier, Furnas, Hayes, Hitchcock, Keith, Perkins, and Red Willow counties. SWNPHD is located at 404 West 10th St (1 block north of Arby’s) in McCook.