Oklahoma's top epidemiologist reassigned amid outbreak

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma's top epidemiologist is being reassigned in a move the state's health agency says will help them better coordinate between local responders and health care experts, particularly in rural areas.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health said state epidemiologist Laurence Burnsed is being reassigned “to provide epidemiological expertise to Oklahoma stakeholders."

The announcement came late Thursday as the state struggled to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Oklahoma has reported 49 confirmed coronavirus infections including one person who died. Eight were hospitalized as of Friday morning.

The vast majority of people who contract the virus recover within weeks. It causes only mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but it can lead to more severe illness, including pneumonia, especially in older adults and people with preexisting health problems.

The agency also announced the hiring of a new interim epidemiologist, Dr. Aaron Wendelboe, who has a PhD in epidemiology from the University of North Carolina and has worked as an epidemic intelligence service officer for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“These actions will provide support to all areas of our state, with emphasis on rural communities, to better understand and meet needs for local community response," the statement said.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health did not respond to a request for comment.

The straight-talking Burnsed has appeared at several press conferences with Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt to help explain the state's response to the coronavirus outbreak. Earlier this week, he noted Oklahoma was experiencing a shortage of testing kits and supplies.

___

The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

___

Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak