Osage County Health Department Administrator Susan Long on Monday announced a second COVID-related death.
“It is with sadness that I have to report this,” said Long. “This person had been ill for several weeks prior to passing away.”
No additional information on this person will be released out of respect for the person and the family.
As of Tuesday, Long said the county is unofficially up to 213 cases in total with likely more than 70 active cases, though many of those the department hasn’t been able to get to yet. Long said the number of cases has doubled in the last month.
She is interviewing another person for a nurse position, and getting people set up to work from home as the health department doesn’t have room in the office for everyone.
“I’m asking for patience and for people to wait until we call them,” Long said. “In the meantime, they should be isolating at home and identifying close contacts.”
Cases of COVID-19 have been reported in several of the county schools since the pandemic began. Last week on Tuesday, the health department received seven positive reports on school children and staff in three different schools and new cases have been reported daily in schools.
Long said her department is averaging 25 to 35 contacts per case.
“We have been prioritizing the children as we have been directed to do by Dr. Williams with DHSS,” she added. “We are calling as fast as we can, but each call takes on average 15-20 minutes to get information, provide education, and answer questions. We have had as many as six employees working on calls and/or taking calls.”
Department staff has been yelled at, cursed at, and threatened with lawsuits, Long said, adding that no child will be the exception to the rules.
“There is the potential for exposure at school and that is why we are trying to identify the close contacts at school and on the bus,” said Long.
She reiterated that by definition, close contact is physical contact such as a hug, kiss or handshake, or being within six feet for 15 minutes or longer. Long added this is also dependent upon the timing of the exposure to the case and their start of symptoms or testing.
“If we honestly made a mistake in dates on the letters, then respectfully call or email,” said Long. “There are no secret plots or conspiracies to keep your particular child out of school, sports, band, and extra-curricular activities or any family events planned. I recommended in the information that I encouraged all the schools to send out before school started, that parents needed to have contingency plans in case their child or children were placed in isolation or quarantine for childcare. The schools and the health department are trying to identify only those children who have had close contact in school or on the bus or elsewhere.”
Long said she is discouraged when she hears from some of the school-age cases about the parties and events they’ve been allowed to attend or taken to by their families.
“We’ve also been told of inconsistencies in the enforcement of the individual school rules on wearing of masks in school during designated times, or on the bus, and children not staying in an assigned seat to help with contact-tracing,” said Long. “This results in mistakes being made in regard to the identification of close contacts. If your child is showing any symptoms even if you think it’s just allergies, contact your child’s doctor.”
Long reminds everyone to social distance, wear a mask whenever you are not in your own home or your own yard, and to disinfect.
“It is hard on everyone to follow these restrictions, including me, but it is especially important now that flu season is upon us that we all do the right thing,” said Long, noting the department received its first flu case notification on Monday.
Department staff began flu clinics last week and they will continue through October or beyond, depending on the need. The high-dose shot was delayed after the supplier had given Long what was at the time a firm date of delivery. She hopes to have the vaccine by the end of the week.
Long added that while she has now hired additional staff and everyone is working just as hard as possible, everyone needs to do their part.
“Health is a concern for all of us, and not just the health department or your doctor’s office,” said Long.
On Tuesday, Long extended the current advisory, which expired Oct. 6, through Oct. 16.