Oklahoma State Department of Health sent this bulletin at 03/13/2020 09:32 PM CDT
SITUATION UPDATE: COVID-19
Oklahoma’s public health officials have announced the first presumptive positive COVID-19 case in Oklahoma County. The individual is a woman in her 60s who had recent travel to Florida. She is in isolation at home and public health officials have commenced contact investigation. Officials noted the presumptive case is unrelated to other COVID -19 cases in Oklahoma.
There are now four cases of COVID-19 in Oklahoma.
President Trump and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared a state of emergency related to the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This declaration will release federal funding to address the health crisis. The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) has not yet been informed what levels of funding will be allocated to Oklahoma. The OSDH continues to follow and implement CDC recommendations related to COVID-19.
The number of cases in Oklahoma does not include players for the Utah Jazz, which will be counted by the Utah Department of Health. The testing of the Utah Jazz players was considered a necessity by the CDC due to the close proximity of which the players engage and the number of people they expose themselves to through travel and fan engagement. The tests were administered in accordance to CDC recommendations, as are all tests administered by the OSDH.
Materials necessary to complete a COVID-19 test have been limited in Oklahoma. The OSDH recently received 500 additional testing kits that will allow for slightly wider testing parameters. Additional testing kits have been ordered from the CDC, but the quantity received will depend on national supply. As additional testing kits are received, the testing parameters may be widened as needed. It is important to prioritize testing for individuals who meet CDC guidelines for testing. We’ve improved our partnerships with health care providers to broaden screening for more aggressive identification for those who qualify for testing; individuals who have symptoms and exposure to a positive case or travel to areas of geographic spread, including domestic travel.
If you have a fever, cough or shortness of breath, please contact your primary care physician. Your primary care physician can recommend a test, although due to the limited amount of testing materials, may recommend self-quarantine until symptoms subside or additional testing resources become available. Clinicians may recommend testing for other respiratory illnesses, including flu. Those who are uninsured may call 211 for community resources.
To protect yourself, please avoid people who are sick, wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
FOR RELEASE: March 13, 2020
MEDIA CONTACT: Jamie Dukes Public Information Manager Office of Communications (405) 271-5601 JamieD@health.ok.gov
