Returned from leave to the Pacific Northwest
OKLAHOMA CITY – An Altus Air Force Base Airman remained in quarantine off-base Friday, along with his wife and child, said 2nd Lt. Abigail Pongracz, the base public affairs officer.
Col. Matthew Leard, the base commander, said the Airman tested positive for the coronavirus after he and his family returned from leave in the greater Seattle, Washington area. The Airman visited only with medical personnel after arriving at Altus AFB, Leard said. Since he did not initially acknowledge flu-like symptoms upon his return, the first medical technician with whom the Airman came in contact did not take appropriate precautions, the base commander said.
The Airman will remain in quarantine until cleared for duty, officials indicated. The director of the Jackson County Health Department confirmed that the Airman’s wife attended a musical event at Altus Christian Academy almost two weeks ago, after the couple returned from leave to the Pacific Northwest. The spouse attended the event before the Airman’s positive test and after the Airman went into isolation, according to a base statement.
The spouse and the couple’s child entered quarantine voluntarily but were not required to be in isolation, according to the statement. “The spouse and their young child have not displayed symptoms of illness and have not had reason to be tested for COVID-19,” the base statement continued. “They have displayed no symptoms whatsoever as of this date,” the County Health Department confirmed Friday.
“According to local health officials and our own, the risk of exposure from this encounter is considered to be very low,” the base statement concluded. “We have our own testing kits” on the base, Lt. Pongracz said. Some Altus AFB personnel have been tested, but not everyone assigned there would have to be tested, the lieutenant said. The base medical clinic is testing members of the base for COVID-19 “if they present to the clinic with symptoms and report being around someone who tested positive or were in one of the high-risk areas.”
After the Airman tested positive, the base changed its Health Protection Condition (HPCON) level to B[ravo] to “reflect the moderate disease threat posed by COVID-19” and the risk of exposure to personnel. HPCON B indicates an outbreak or heightened exposure risk. Protective measures could include strict hygiene, self-isolation if exposed, vector control and careful cleaning of common-use items/ areas.