Cogdell Memorial Hospital announced Scurry County’s first two positive COVID-19 cases this week.
In a press release issued Wednesday morning, the hospital announced that a male patient between 50 and 60 years old tested positive for the virus at the hospital following a March 18 doctor’s appointment in Lubbock.
“This individual presented with fever and shortness of breath. The patient was taken directly to the dedicated isolation room of Cogdell Memorial Hospital prior to being transferred to another hospital in stable, but serious condition,” the press release stated.
A press release issued Friday afternoon confirmed that a second individual had tested positive for the disease. The patient was identified as a female between 50 and 60 years of age.
The press release indicated that the person was instructed to self-isolate while the Scurry County Health Unit began an investigation.
Local health authority Dr. Bid Cooper urged residents to continue taking precautions.
“We are taking the identification of COVID-19 in our community very seriously,” Cooper said. “If you haven’t been taking precautions, now is the time.”
Hicks said the positive results came as the county increased testing.
“Cogdell has gotten a new testing method. What it is is a saliva test instead of the swab test. It’s a faster process also. It’s a 24-48 hour turnaround, where what we had before, they were backed up for weeks,” Hicks said. “They also have a whole lot more tests. You’re going to have people out there who believe that we haven’t been testing as much until we have a case; that is not the case at all. The situation is, we have the new test, and we have more of those tests, so we’re able to do more testing now.”
Kristi Hanley, Chief Quality Officer for Cogdell Memorial Hospital, urged compliance with guidelines.
“Our team is working closely with leaders from the CDC, the Texas Department of Health and local health officials to monitor and respond to this evolving situation,” she said. “We cannot emphasize enough how important it is to wash your hands frequently and to avoid any unnecessary social contact.”
Health officials advised those who have flu and cold symptoms and suspect it may be Coronavirus to stay home and call their primary health
care provider. Depending on the severity of symptoms, doctors may provide special instructions or — if appropriate — make arrangements for a virtual visit. For very severe symptoms like trouble breathing, call 911.
Steps individuals can take to prevent the spread of flu and the common cold will also help prevent Coronavirus from spreading include:
● Washing hands with soap and water.
● Avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
● Covering mouth and nose with a tissue or upper sleeve when coughing or sneezing.
● Avoiding contact with people who are sick.
● Staying home if sick.
COVID-19 Symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure to the virus. They include:
● Fever
● Cough
● Shortness of breath
“Community leaders have been and will continue to work together to keep our community safe and mitigate the spread of the virus,” Hicks said. “It’s crucial that our community continue to take preventative measures to lower their risk, and to share this information with their friends, family and co-workers.”