On Monday the Pottawatomie County Health Department announced the first and possibly second COVID-19 related deaths for Pottawatomie County. Final confirmation from KDHE is pending. The first patient was a 79-year old woman. The second was an 87-year old man. Pottawatomie County officials expressed their deepest condolences to the victim's families, friends, and loved ones.
These mark the first deaths caused by the novel coronavirus in Pottawatomie County. Contact investigations are ongoing and any identified close contacts should quarantine at home and monitor for symptoms. The Health Department is working and may not have time to reach out to all close contacts in a timely manner. Therefore, if you have tested positive, please notify any of your close contacts (anyone that was within six feet for more than 10 minutes – the 10 minutes need not be consecutive). This includes anyone that meets the “close contact” criteria starting 48 hours prior to your first symptom (or 48 hours prior to receipt of positive results if asymptomatic). Those close contacts should quarantine for 14-days.
Liz Parthemer, Pottawatomie County Health Officer said, “This is not a time to let our guard down. Our hospitals are seeing an increase in numbers of positive COVID patients across the county.