The past couple of months Guthrie County has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases. 

Guthrie County Public Health Director Jotham Arber says Guthrie County currently has 2,167 documented cases, which is a 32 percent seven day or 14 day? positivity rate and 248 people in isolation, which he says is the highest numbers the county has ever been at. Arber says the majority of the increase in cases from December and January is  due to the omicron variant.. 

“We do see a lot more sickness this time of year. And then you tack on a (COVID-19) variant that’s much more transmissible and that’s what you’re going to end up with. You’re going to see a lot of folks getting sick and that’s what we are seeing.”

Aber says although they are seeing more cases, they’re not seeing a lot of hospitalizations due to the level of protection the residents have from being vaccinated or natural immunity. Aber is optimistic that these rates of infection won’t continue. 

““Hopefully, within the next week or so, we’ll peak and then begin to drop in the positivity percentages and the total number of people that are getting sick. You know what, we’re seeing sickness all over right now.”

Arber states they are better prepared currently to fight serious cases of COVID-19 with monoclonal antibody infusions and other treatment options available, including vaccines.