The Superior Express -

South Heartland District Health Department (SHDHD) officials reported 85 new lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in four days (Friday through Monday), bringing the cumulative number of cases in the four-county health district to 1,556. The new confirmed cases for the four-day period include: 51 in Adams, 20 in Clay, eight in Nuckolls and six in Webster. By county, the new cumulative totals are: 1031 cases in Adams, 234 cases in Clay, 154 cases in Nuckolls, and 137 cases in Webster.

Michele Bever, SHDHD executive director, said COVID-19 can be a severe disease with some people having moderate symptoms and feeling ill for a couple of weeks and others having severe symptoms that lead to hospitalization or death. Other people may experience mild, allergy-like symptoms, or no symptoms at all (asymptomatic), and are able to spread the virus to others unknowingly and unintentionally.

Bever said some people are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. This includes older adults and people with certain medical conditions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) made changes to the medical conditions that have more risk of severe illness from the virus that causes COVID-19, to include pregnancy, sickle cell disease and chronic kidney disease. Severe illness from COVID-19 is defined as hospitalization, admission to the intensive care unit, intubation or mechanical ventilation, or death.

“If you are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, or you live or work with someone at increased risk of severe illness, there are preventive steps you and people you live with can take,” Bever said. The CDC recommends to limit close contact interactions with other people as much as possible and when going out or interacting with others outside your immediate household, wear a mask, especially if it is difficult to maintain 6 feet of distance away from others, avoid others who are not wearing masks or ask others around you to wear a mask, if possible stay at least 6 feet away from others outside your household, wash your hands frequently or use a hand sanitizer.

“Begin planning ahead for the fall and winter holidays and look for ways to reduce your risk,” Bever said. “Avoid in-person gatherings with people who do not live in your household. You should avoid larger gatherings and consider alternate activities that pose lower risk,” she said.

Bever urged residents to help reverse current COVID-19 trends. “Avoid the three Cs,” she said. “Avoid crowded places, avoid close contact and avoid confined spaces. Protect others and yourselves in everything you do and everywhere you go.”