Apr. 02, 2020 – Fifth Lab Confirmed Case of COVID-19 / New Website Launched
Fifth Lab Confirmed Case in Union County: The Union County Health Department received notice today of a fifth lab confirmed case of COVID-19 in a Union County resident. The individual is an adult female. As of noon on April 02, Union County reports four adult females and one adult male have tested positive for COVID-19. The age-range of cases is 31-83 years old with an average age of 49 years old.
A contact investigation is underway to identify and notify close contacts of the individual. Close contacts will be notified by public health. Close contacts will be assessed for symptoms and instructed to self- quarantine (separate themselves from others and not go to any public places) for 14 days while monitoring for symptoms. If you are not notified by public health, you are not considered a close contact with increased risk.
Close contacts of an ill person are typically:
- individuals living in the same home,
- intimate partners,
- individuals providing home care for the ill person without using recommended infection control
precautions,
- individuals who have had close contact (within 6 feet of the ill person) for a prolonged period of
time (definitions for prolonged time vary from 10 minutes or more to 30 minutes when speaking in terms outside of providing medical care)
The Union County Health Department will not release additional personal information regarding the ill individual in compliance with HIPPA and Protected Health Information laws. Public health will not release a listing of locations visited by the individual unless the contact investigation warrants such an announcement in order to protect the health of the public.
New COVID-19 Website: The Union County Health Department has rolled out a new website for local information regarding COVID-19. This site will provide information from the health department, prevention information, links to other local COVID-19 information, and feature some good acts happening within Union County. https://uchdflu.wpengine.com/
Working to Prepare for Surge in Seriously Ill: Public health is planning and organizing resources now to respond to the predicted surge in seriously ill patients. The Union County Health Department and the Emergency Operations Center are evaluating every option to provide a community response should we see this surge in our community. These efforts will support our existing healthcare system and medical providers should they begin to exceed capacity. More information will come as plans are formalized over the next two weeks.
We Need Your Help: We continue to seek volunteers and personal protective equipment. The Union County Foundation is also accepting donations to the Union County COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund. Check out the graphics and links below for more information. with any kind of healthcare or medical training (including students and retirees), sign up to volunteer through our Medical Reserve Corp today so we can be ready when we’re needed.
Personal Protective Equipment Donations: Union County EMA – 937-645-2097
Medical Volunteers: https://www.uchd.net/medical-reserve-corp
Volunteers to Help with Basic Needs: https://www.unitedwayofunioncounty.org/covidinfo.php Union County Emergency Response Fund: https://www.unioncountyfoundation.org/
Essential Businesses and the Stay Home Order: The Union County Health Department continues to field calls regarding businesses not complying with the Stay Home Order. Our sanitarians are taking these calls and doing spot checks of businesses to ensure they are meeting their obligations listed in the Stay Home Orders checklist for businesses.
Ohio (Apr. 01) / 2,547 cases / 679 hospitalizations / 65 deaths / 53 median age / 222 ICU Admissions