Whitley County has second confirmed case of COVID-19; first victim has now fully recovered

Four days after the first confirmed COVID-19 case in Whitley County, health department officials have confirmed a second case.

Friday morning, Whitley County Health Department Public Health Director Marcy Rein issued a release announcing that the health department had received notice of another resident testing positive.

The Whitley County Health Department is collaborating with partners to identify people who have had close contact with this person and are at risk for infection. Those people will be contacted and provided instructions, the release noted.

The second diagnosed person is an adult resident of Whitley County, and additional details about the person cannot be provided because of medical privacy laws, Rein said in the release.

“As this situation evolves, we will continue to communicate with our partners and the people of Whitley County,” Rein said. “Help our community stay as healthy as possible by staying home. Some people can’t stay at home, like healthcare workers and people working to deliver vital products and services. We appreciate their sacrifices, and you can honor them by staying home.”

The Whitley County Health Department announced the first confirmed case of COVID-19 on April 6. It also was an adult, but health department officials released no other information about that individual either.

Rein said Friday morning that this second case has no connection to the first case, and that the individual in the first case has now fully recovered.

Also, on April 6, the Knox County Health Department announced the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in that county.

The Barbourville Police Department announced that the Knox County resident was a police department employee, who had tested positive for the virus.

According to a release, the employee last worked a shift on March 30 and is recovering at home.

Six Barbourville police officers and Mayor David Thompson went into quarantine after coming into contact with a person who tested positive for Knox County’s first case of COVID-19.

As of 5 p.m. Thursday, there were 1,452 people, who had tested positive for COVID-19 in Kentucky, and there were 79 reported deaths.

So far, at least 23,170 people have been tested in Kentucky.

Most people will develop only mild symptoms with COVID-19 infection. However, some people are at a higher risk for severe illness. These include people older than 60 years and people with health conditions like heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, kidney disease, or the immune-compromised. It takes our whole community to keep everyone healthy.

The health department offers these tips:

• Stay home if you are sick.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

Symptoms of COVID-19 may include fever, cough, or shortness of breath. People who are experiencing symptoms should contact their health care provider.

For more information, visit www.kycovid19.ky.gov or call 1.800.722.5725. You can also like the Whitley County Health Department Facebook page.