FRANKFORT, KY (Jan. 17, 2020) - On Wednesday, January 15, 2020 the Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) was notified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that all test results of a potential infectious disease case at the Barbourville Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) hospital in Barbourville are negative.
Governor Andy Beshear
“My administration took immediate action working with officials to quickly respond and we are pleased to announce that Kentuckians were never at risk,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “We thank everyone who helped address the concern.”
DPH Commissioner Dr. Angela Dearinger said tests revealed there was no high-level threat to hospital staff or the community.
“This was nothing out of the ordinary for any U.S. hospital,” she said. “After receiving the test results, as well other details about this incident, we can confirm there was never a risk of highly infectious disease.”
Dearinger said state health experts followed proper infectious disease protocols with hospital, local and federal officials.
Additional information is available at http://chfs.ky.gov/.
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The Cabinet for Health and Family Services is home to most of the state's human services and healthcare programs, including the Department for Medicaid Services, the Department for Community Based Services the Department for Public Health, the Department for Aging and Independent Living and the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities. CHFS is one of the largest agencies in state government, with nearly 8,000 full- and part-time employees located across the Commonwealth focused on improving the lives and health of Kentuckians.
