The Superior Express -

South Heartland District Health Department (SHDHD) officials reported 28 new lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases Friday through Monday, bringing the cumulative total number of cases in the four-county health district to 574. All 28 new cases are Adams County residents. By county, the cumulative totals are: 477 cases in Adams, 69 cases in Clay, 12 cases in Nuckolls, and 16 cases in Webster.

Michele Bever, SHDHD executive director, also reported a coronavirus COVID-19-related death of a previously reported case. She explained that SHDHD does not report deaths until the department receives notification regarding cause of death on the death certificate. “This was a man in his 70s, who was hospitalized, with no known underlying health conditions and no known exposure to a positive case.”

“We have community spread in our district,” Bever said. “This is why prevention continues to be important wherever we are: work, school, shopping, church, or gatherings of any kind.”

Residents can continue to make a difference in the overall risk for spread of COVID-19 in their communities by reducing opportunities for the virus to spread from person to person in any situation. “This means keeping physically distanced from others, wearing cloth face coverings when around others, staying home when we have any symptoms, washing our hands, and disinfecting frequently-touched surfaces,” she said.