PERRY CO., Mo. (WSIL) -- The recent announcement that two physicians at Perry County Memorial Hospital (PCMH) tested positive for COVID-19 has brought many questions and comments for the local health department.
On Thursday, the hospital confirming the diagnoses of two of its doctors, one of which was non-symptomatic and on duty when the test came back.
Friday, the Perry County, Missouri Health Department said the two physicians were not residents of the county, and the department had not conducted an investigation or performed contact tracing.
"While the Perry County Health Department provides guidance on effective strategies to minimize the spread of COVID-19, we do not regulate or control the operations of any hospitals or other healthcare facilities. PCMH is a separate entity and the Perry County Health Department does not make or enforce policies at PCMH. In addition, while one function of the Perry County Health Department is to perform investigations and contact tracing for COVID-19 positive residents of the county, the two PCMH physicians who tested positive are not Perry County residents. Therefore, the Perry County Health Department has not conducted an investigation or performed contact tracing associated with those two individuals."
Perry County Health Department
The health department says its primary interest "is the health and safety of all Perry County residents." It continues to recommend social distancing, hand washing, disinfecting surfaces, and wearing masks to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
