Pana Medical Group staff member tests positive for COVID-19; facilities closed

PANA, Ill. (WAND) - A staff member of Pana Medical Group tested positive for COVID-19, leading to officials temporarily closing locations in Pana, Nokomis, and Ramsey. 

The Chris-Mont Emergency Management Agency said the positive test result came Wednesday. The organization has quarantined all staff members, and each of them is getting tested to follow Illinois Department of Public Health guidelines. 

After they were notified of the positive case, the PMG practice manager made direct contact with IDPH and the EMA. These groups are working together to ensure the safety of patients and staff, an EMA press release said. 

The Christian County Health Department is completing contact tracing efforts. All patients who were in contact with the staff member will be contacted by the health department to figure out how high their level of exposure was, what quarantine measures might be needed and possible testing guidance. 

Anyone who was at a PMG facility recently and is not contacted by public health officials would have a COVID-19 risk level considered to be "very low" and would not need to take any further action, EMA officials said. 

While the PMG office is closed, there will be additional cleaning and disinfecting in order to follow Centers for Disease Control and IDPH guidelines. 

"Pana Medical Group follows strict safety standards and clinical protocols to keep patients safe during this time of community spread of the coronavirus," the press release said. "As always, the safety of our patients and staff are our TOP priority." 

COVID-19 remains an active virus in Christian County and surrounding counties. 

"Pana Community Hospital, its physician clinics, and all our affiliated providers encourages recommendations from the local health departments, Chris-Mont EMA, and the Centers for Disease Control, which include social distancing, frequent hand washing and wearing of masks while in public or when social distancing is not possible," officials added. 

The EMA is reminding the public people who have COVID-19 have reported a wide range of symptoms. Symptoms may show two to 14 days after exposure and can include fever or chills, coughing, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle or body aches, a headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. 

People who believe they may have contracted COVID-19 should contact their primary care physician. Anyone who does not have a physician should call their county health department for guidance.