Pulaski County Has First Confirmed Coronavirus Case

The Pulaski County Health Center has received notification of the first case of COVID-19 of a Pulaski County resident. The patient’s identity will remain confidential, but this case does not appear to be travel related. The Health Center is working with this individual to insure they are following Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and Centers of Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in regarding isolation.

Due to the unknowns in this case, the Pulaski County Health Department is recommending as of March 20th, that all schools, public and private, to remain closed for at least 14 days. Health Department officials also order that restaurants and bars no longer offer dine-in services. Drive-thru and carryout orders are still permitted.

The Pulaski County Health Center is currently working with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to conduct an investigation in an effort to identify any individual that may have come in close contact with the positive individual to monitor them for symptoms and assist in the containment of the virus.

It is important that every member of the community continue to follow the CDC basic hygiene preventative measures. These measures include: avoiding contact with people who are sick, covering coughs and sneezes, proper hand-washing, cleaning frequently used surfaces, and staying home when sick.

The Pulaski County Health Center has taken and will continue to take the necessary precautions to keep our community safe and will continue to diligently monitor the COVID-19 situation as it evolves by following the CDC guidelines to protect public health and limit spread of the infection.

We encourage anyone that suspects he or she has COVID-19, or has been in contact with someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19, to call your healthcare provider before seeking care, unless it is a life-threatening emergency.