July 2, 2020
Coryell Health COVID-19 Testing Totals ǀ Record Highs of New Cases
Getting consistent numbers of positive COVID-19 tests in Texas and its local counties can be a challenge and with cases on the rise, it is important for residents to understand the increasing risk of infection. “The state often lags behind in their reporting”, explains Dr. Wuenschel, Coryell Health Medical Clinic Director, Chief of Staff and Director of RehabLiving. The numbers the state reports are based on the county where the person lives. “We get our real time numbers each day from our own on-site testing lab. A few weeks ago, we saw 12 cases in a week. This week, we saw 13 cases in a day. Coryell has done 7,000 tests since March and is seeing increases both in cases and the percentage of tests coming back positive.”
Dr. Wuenschel adds, “As we go into the holiday weekend, we must keep our guard up. I know we want to gather with family and friends, but we have to remember that a large gathering, especially without masks and social distancing, is one of the most likely places for COVID-19 to spread.”
Testing for COVID-19 will help reduce transmission, when individuals become aware they are positive and take proper precautions. “We are trying to be diligent in our contact tracing- so if a patient tests positive at Coryell Health- we encourage those that were exposed to get tested at our clinic,” adds Wuenschel. “This helps us identify if a new ” hot spot” is arising somewhere in our area. We are concerned about that the upcoming Fourth of July weekend could cause the coronavirus spread to intensify if people don’t take precautions.” Social distancing includes staying away from friends and neighbors. That means wearing a mask and keeping 6 ft. apart from non-family members – is important to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. So is wiping down surfaces or objects where the virus can live and then be transferred by touch to the mouth, nose and eyes.
Resources:
Coronavirus Online Screening Tool https://coryellhealth.org/covid-19-screening
Coryell Health Medical Clinic/ Quick Care Walk-In Clinic/ Telehealth (254) 865-2166
Coryell Health COVID-19 Website https://coryellhealth.org/covid
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html