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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The Oklahoma State Department of Health announced on Tuesday that there are 17 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Oklahoma.

So far, positive test results have been confirmed in the following counties: Canadian, Cleveland, Jackson, Kay, Oklahoma, Pawnee, Payne, and Tulsa.

According to health department data, the patients range in age from 20-years-old to 69-years-old. However, nine of the confirmed cases are 50-years-old or older.

Six of the confirmed cases are female patients, and the remaining confirmed cases are male patients.

On top of the 17 in-state confirmed cases, the health department says there are two out-of-state confirmed cases.

As of Tuesday morning, officials are still waiting on test results for at least 82 patients. 247 tests were negative, health officials said.

State officials urge Oklahomans to stay away from ill patients and to frequently wash their hands. Also, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

The virus is mainly spread from person-to-person, and symptoms usually appear two to 14 days after exposure. Officials stress that the most common symptoms are fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

If you do become sick, you are asked to stay away from others. If you have been in an area where the coronavirus is known to be spreading or been around a COVID-19 patient and develop symptoms, you are asked to call your doctor ahead of time and warn them that you might have been exposed to the virus. That way, experts say, they have the ability to take extra precautions to protect staff and other patients.

The novel coronavirus was first detected in China in December and has since spread to locations across the globe, including the United States.

While the full extent of COVID-19 is not known yet, reported illnesses have ranged from extremely mild to severe, some resulting in death. Officials say that 80 to 85 percent of cases of COVID-19 have been mild, similar to a cold or the flu.

Older people and those with underlying health conditions like heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes are at a greater risk for a serious case.