On Friday, Heartland District Health Department (SHDHD) officials reported one new lab-confirmed COVID-19 case, bringing the total number of cases in the 4-county health district to 310. By county, the totals are 279 in Adams, 24 in Clay, 6 in Webster, and 1 in Nuckolls. In addition, SHDHD issued a correction to the age of a previously reported case for Adams County: a female in her 50s, not 40s as reported.

The new case in Webster County is a male in his 20s.

“We continue to conduct contact investigations for individuals who test positive and live in Adams, Clay, Nuckolls or Webster counties,” said Michele Bever, SHDHD executive director. “Anyone who has symptoms should self-isolate and we will direct close contacts to quarantine and self-monitor for symptoms” she said.

Bever said that while the rate of new cases is currently low, the virus has not gone away. “New cases are frequently traced back to gatherings or interactions where people are not keeping physical distance or wearing masks. This is happening in social settings and at worksites,” she said. “We especially encourage worksites to do everything they can to provide a safe environment for their employees and their patrons,” she said.

“If someone tests positive at a worksite, everyone who is a close contact will need to be quarantined,” she said. “However, if your worksite has physical distancing measures in place and employees are wearing masks, the exposure to the positive case may be considered low risk, and the employees may not need to be quarantined. It is an advantage for the health and safety of your employees and for your staffing needs to do what you can to reduce the chances of your employees being exposed and needing to be quarantined,” Bever said. “It reduces the impact on a business to have these things in place before they are needed.”