April 1, 2020 4:00 p.m.
No new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Douglas County as of Wednesday.
The daily update from the COVID-19 Command Center said County Public Health Officer, Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer, confirmed that the number of local cases remains at 10. He said a total of 5 residents in the county have been hospitalized for COVID-19 with 2 individuals remaining hospitalized. They are in different hospitals, according to the update. Currently there are zero deaths and 268 people have tested negative for COVID-19 in Douglas County.
Dannenhoffer said community members are encouraged to continue practicing social distancing. Dannenhoffer said “we truly believe this practice is the very best way to combat this disease, and it seems to be working to flatten the curve”. Dannenhoffer said the guidance does not mean people must remain confined inside their home. He said it is appropriate and even recommended to go out and get some fresh air. He said that can include going for a walk, run or some other activity, as long as residents adhere to social distancing.
The update said on Wednesday the newly formed Incident Management Team entered into a unified command structure by adding Douglas Public Health Network to the role as co-incident commander. That means K.C. Bolton from the Emergency Operations Center and Teresa Mutschler of DPHN will lead the County’s response to the emergency. The update said that allows for all parties to have equal input into the operational tasks of the IMT.
Douglas County Commissioners have established five incident objectives, which are:
*Minimize the loss of life for Douglas County citizens due to COVID-19 through education, mitigation and containment.
*Protect the medical system from being overwhelmed by coordinating long term strategic response plans and identifying local thresholds for appropriate response.
*Ensure the safety of all health care providers by facilitating the acquisition and distribution of available PPE by utilizing local, state and federal resources.
*Ensure appropriate timely and coordinated communications to cooperators and the public.
*Support operation needs by leveraging available Douglas County resources.
Commissioner Tim Freeman said they are creating a strong group for this situation and are proud of the hard work that is being done.