A third COVID-19 patient has died in Clinton County – April 13, 2020
The Clinton County Health Department (CCHD) today reported 47 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 among residents of Clinton County. The number includes 43 cases, as of this morning, listed on the NYSDOH website. CCHD noted that 4 of the 47 individuals they are reporting were tested in Vermont. These four are not currently listed on the NYSDOH website (https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home) and CCHD expects that they will become part of the Vermont case count.
“CCHD included information about the four residents tested in Vermont, to help clear up any confusion about numbers that were reported over the weekend,” according to Karen Derusha, Clinton County Health Department’s Public Information Officer. While these individuals are Clinton County residents, they are being counted in Vermont because that is where they were tested.
Ms. Derusha went on to explain, “The numbers can be difficult to follow. There are lab-confirmed cases, probable cases, and suspect cases.” A lab-confirmed case is defined as someone who is tested and receives a positive result. A probable case describes an individual who is tested but for whom the result cannot be determined (lab-indeterminate). Suspect cases are those individuals identified by a healthcare provider to have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, but who have not been tested. Ms. Derusha went on to say, “The number of suspect cases may change if a person’s symptoms are later determined to be from another cause or if they are later tested.
Numbers, such as those reported on the NYSDOH website, as well as those reported locally, allow public health officials and community members to follow trends. The data offers information about the impact that the virus is having over time and where progress in slowing the rate of transmission is being made. Clinton County officials are aware, however, that with limited capacity for testing and no antibody testing yet available, the picture is not complete. Ms. Derusha cautioned, “Numbers do not tell the whole story.”
Mark Henry, Chairperson of the Clinton County Legislature stated, “Our hearts are heavy with the news of another death due to COVID-19, especially in such a short amount of time. We remain steadfast in our resolve to protect as many residents as possible with the tools we have available to us. These include aggressive contact tracing; maintaining stay-at-home and social distancing requirements; asking individuals to wear masks when they must go out; and issuing isolation and quarantine orders when necessary to protect the public’s health.”
Posted: April 13th, 2020 under County Government News, Heathcare News, Northern NY News.