Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reports First Case of COVID-19

March 25, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 25, 2020

Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reports First Case of COVID-19

 

OKMULGEE, Oklahoma —The Muscogee (Creek) Nation announced today an employee tested positive for COVID-19. The Koweta Indian Health Facility employee has not been present on the clinic campus since March 13, 2020 and is currently self-isolated at home.

“The Muscogee (Creek) Nation continues to take all precautionary measures to ensure the health and safety of our patients, citizens and staff,” said David Hill, Principal Chief of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. “We are working closely with officials from our Department of Health and the Oklahoma State Department of Health to identify anyone who might be considered high risk and appropriate for screening as a result of this case.”

The Muscogee (Creek) Nation COVID-19 Task Force continues to closely monitor the situation and is following internal protocols, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Oklahoma State Department of Health guidelines.

“The most important defense in the spread of this virus is to wash your hands often, clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and avoid close contact with other people,” said Chief Hill.

The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Health has developed action plans to prepare medical facilities and provides ongoing training to front-line medical staff on how to address patients presenting with symptoms. Additionally, the tribe has cancelled non-essential travel, closed lobby areas to public access, temporarily closed Muscogee (Creek) Nation Casinos, granted administrative leave to high-risk employees and has made additional accommodations for the health and safety of essential employees and healthcare workers.

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The Muscogee (Creek) Nation is the fourth-largest federally recognized tribe in the United States, headquartered in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. MCN has more than 87,000 citizens, 75 percent of which live in Oklahoma.