Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) is urging Oklahomans who have chosen to attend large-scale gatherings in recent weeks to seek out testing for COVID-19, even if symptoms are not present.
In Tonkawa, City Manager Kirk Henderson said as of Tuesday there were four active cases in the city limits. He said two city employees had been tested recently after coming in contact with an infected person. One test is pending and the other has been ruled negative.
In Kay County, there are now 81 reported cases with seven deaths and 59 recoveries. Statewide, Tuesday the numbers increased 295 up to 11,028 infected cases.
As previously announced, OSDH encourages Oklahomans to seek COVID-19 testing both prior to attending large-scale gatherings and in the days following, and to wear a mask when physical distancing is a challenge. With active COVID-19 cases on the rise, OSDH is well positioned to support and partner with local government leaders and communities with free testing, resources, and local public health guidance.
“As expected, Oklahoma’s urban areas as well as a few communities around the state are experiencing a rise in active COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations due to increased social activity and mobility. We continue to have more than 80 free testing locations across the state, and we need Oklahomans to get tested, even those without symptoms, so we can identify active cases and work together to minimize community spread,” said Interim Commissioner Lance Frye, MD. “The Stitt administration and the Legislature prioritized COVID-19 data transparency with our nationally-recognized online dashboard. These daily updates protect individuals’ personal information while equipping local leaders with the best data to make adjustments to local public health guidance if needed. Our agency is well resourced to pro-actively partner with and provide guidance to those changes.”
The OSDH continues to make COVID-19 data transparent and publicly available, pointing to evidence-based guidance that allows local leaders, business owners, communities and individuals to make adjustments, and frequently reassess protocols, based on the active presence of COVID-19 locally. OSDH is committed to partnering with stakeholders on crafting recommendations for populations to take proactive measures to keep themselves safe and minimize spread.
Governor Kevin Stitt first charged the agency with a mission to build its nationally recognized data dashboard, launched within a month of COVID-19 arriving in Oklahoma. At the expiration of the Catastrophic Emergency Declaration, Attorney General Mike Hunter determined the Legislature had made appropriate adjustments in State law to ...
