April 21, 2020
By News Director Jared Atha
The Oklahoma State Department of Health has added 21 additional deaths due to COVID-19 to its death count, however 16 of those fatalities occurred between April 14 and April 19. The remaining 5 occurred within the last 24 hours.
According to the department, that brings the state total of deaths to 164.
Cumulative confirmed cases in the state is currently at 2,807. That’s an increase of 127 cases when compared to Monday.
Locally Greer County remains with 57 cases, Custer County with 10, Jackson County gained 2 more cases, bringing the total to 8, Kiowa County remains with 3, and Beckham County still has 2.
Harmon, Washita and Roger Mills Counties are still without a case.
The number of recoveries in Greer County increased by 3. State health officials are reporting that 41 individuals in the county have recovered from the virus. Statewide, 1,702 recoveries have been reported.
Gov. Kevin Stitt said last week more than one-third of Oklahoma’s COVID-19 deaths were residents of nursing homes or long-term care facilities.
Public Affairs Officer for the Oklahoma National Guard Colonel Tom Ivester, who has been a part of Governor Kevin Stitt’s task force addressing the pandemic, says Governor Stitt ordered the Oklahoma National Guard along with the State Department of Health to form strike teams to address any potential outbreak in nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.