The Superior Express -

South Heartland District Health Department (SHDHD) officials reported 34 new lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in the four days (Friday through Monday), bringing the cumulative total number of cases in the four-county health district to 624. The new confirmed cases for the four-day period include: 26 in Adams, six in Clay, one in Nuckolls, and one in Webster. By county, the cumulative totals are: 517 cases in Adams, 76 cases in Clay, 13 cases in Nuckolls, and 18 cases in Webster.

“The steady increase in new cases in our district is alarming,” said Michele Bever, SHDHD executive director. “We had 53 positive test results reported to us for the week of Sept. 13 through 19, up from 33 the previous week, and 28 the week before that,” she said.

“Our percent positive tests (positivity) increased to 10.1 percent for the week ending Saturday, Sept. 19, up from 6.8 percent the previous week.” The positivity by county was 11.2 percent in Adams, 8.1 percent in Clay, 0 percent in Nuckolls and 5.3 percent in Webster.

Bever also reported four South Heartland residents were admitted to area hospitals in the past eight days because of COVID-19 symptoms.

“We need to be more vigilant,” Bever said. “The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is still circulating in our district. This is why prevention continues to be important wherever we are: work, school and school activities, shopping, church or gatherings of any kind.”

Bever said residents can continue to make a difference in the overall risk for spread of COVID-19 and protect the more vulnerable in their communities by reducing opportunities for the virus to spread from person to person.

“This means keeping physically distanced from others, wearing cloth face coverings when we are around others, staying home when we have any symptoms, avoiding crowds, washing our hands and disinfecting frequently-touched surfaces,” she said.