Sheridan COVID numbers, past COVID prevention measures should work for omicron

Sheridan County added six lab confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total count to 4,444 lab confirmed cases since the beginning of the pandemic.

There have been no probable cases reported in the last 24 hours. That total stands at 1,371. 

Currently there are 84 active cases in the county and 57 deaths of Sheridan County residents attributed to COVID-19.

There are currently eight patients in the hospital fighting the virus. COVID-19 Public Information Officer Jennifer Graves reports 11 residents have recovered from the virus in the last 24 hours. 

Scientists are closely watching the situation surrounding the omicron variant attempting to determine how this mutated version of COVID may affect the public. So far, the symptoms of the illness itself appear to be very similar to the original strain, but it has shown signs of being more transmissible. 

The U.S. recorded its first confirmed omicron infection on Wednesday, in a Californian who had been to South Africa, where the variant was first identified a week ago. Several more cases were reported Thursday — five in the New York City area and one each in Minnesota, Hawaii and Colorado — under circumstances suggesting the variant has begun spreading within the U.S., according to the Associated Press.

Measures used to counter the delta variant should remain the foundation for fighting the coronavirus pandemic, even in the face of the new omicron version of the virus, World Health Organization officials said Friday.

Sheridan Memorial Hospital is paying close attention to the situations surrounding each of the variants. During a leadership briefing, Sheridan Memorial Chief Executive Officer Mike McCafferty said from the beginning efforts have been focused on keeping the curve at a manageable angle for the facility. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention list Sheridan County’s level of community transmission as HIGH.

More COVID-19 information is available at www.sheridancounty.com/covid-19/.