Oklahoma has first coronavirus death; test shortage persists
The Associated Press - March 19, 2020 12:31 pm
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Health officials say Oklahoma has recorded its first death linked to the coronavirus.
The Tulsa Health Department says a man in his 50s died Wednesday, a day after testing positive for the virus.
Oklahoma has confirmed 44 cases of the coronavirus so far, but officials say the state is experiencing a shortage of testing kits. State epidemiologist Laurence Burnsed says the state had about 300 testing kits as of Wednesday and had already used 200 of them.
Health officials say testing should be limited to vulnerable populations experiencing symptoms, individuals age 60 or older, and children or adults who have compromised immune systems