Maggie Jackson and Brandon Fetters, regional officers of the Oklahoma State Department of Health, gave Kingfisher County commissioners a rundown on the status of the COVID-19 pandemic Monday.

Attending the meeting with Kingfisher City-County Emergency Management Director Steve Loftis, the OSDH officials reported on test development for the virus, which has swept the nation.

Jackson said the nose swab necessary to test for the presence of the disease has been improved so that swabs can be taken halfway up a nostril rather than the previous more invasive test.

Loftis reported the active county cases at 19 with three in Dover, five in Hennessey, eight in Kingfisher and three at Okarche.

No recommendations were issued for changes from the county’s reopening schedule.

Commissioners approved appointing Ryan Deatherage of the county health department to the county 9-1-1 board, succeeding Sheriff Dennis Banther who serves as 9-1-1 director, the county treasurer’s monthly report, a resolution to dispose of surplus equipment of the emergency management office and District 1, the annual financial report of the county treasurer’s office, which also goes to the state auditor’s office, a plan for an asphalt overlay on the Omega Road with certain corrections from an earlier plan and two road crossing permits for a water line requested by Recoil Oilfield Services, southwest of Kingfisher in District 3.

District 1 Commissioner Jeff Moss reported that work would likely start on a bridge on Shafenberg Road Tuesday with a detour around the affected area and District 3 Commissioner Heath Dobrovolny reported that work on a bridge six miles west of U.S. 81 on Park Community Road would start next week.

Dobrovolny said the present 30-foot bridge would be replaced by a 40-foot bridge.

The treasurer’s annual report showed a balance on June 30 of $88,240,706.44, up from $77,748,190.54 at the start of the year.