First Kentucky COVID-19 patient released from hospital

Kentucky's first COVID-19 patient, in Harrison County, has been released from the hospital.

Dr. Crystal Miller with the WEDCO District Health Department told us that patient, "patient zero," took two tests, 24 hours apart, and both came back negative.

Harrison County Judge-Executive Alex Barnett says the patient is out of the hospital and clear of coronavirus.

"She was quite ill, she ended up on a ventilator and is now recovered. And two negative tests and we are so excited to have that happen," said Barnett.

Barnett reports that there are now six active cases in Harrison County and they are all linked.

Harrison County health leaders found out about their first case last Friday.

Since then, they’ve been working closely with state leaders to identify and monitor individuals who came in contact with that person, and the other cases that followed.

Current patients are recovering at home.

Dr. Miller says there will be more cases.

“If we have a positive case we quarantine them to their home for 14 days if they are not in a medical facility," Dr. Miller said. "And then what we do on our investigative side is reach out to all of those contacts, where the person has been for the last 14 days, and we begin peeling back the layers to figure out where they’ve been, what they’ve been exposed to, and make contacts through our positive case.”

It’s important to note that of the 70 people that could have been exposed to one of the patients carrying the coronavirus, none are showing signs of COVID-19, they have little to no symptoms.

Dr. Miller says the symptoms of coronavirus are similar to the flu.

They are asking people to self-isolate and rest at home if they have flu-like symptoms.