Active COVID-19 cases reach 532 ahead of holiday, 29th death reported

Due to the Christmas Day holiday there were no updated COVID-19 numbers released from Wyandot County Public Health Thursday afternoon or from the Ohio Department of Health.

Wednesday, Wyandot County Public Health reported the 29th COVID-19 death in Wyandot County. It asked the public “to be vigilant in protecting themselves and each other as this virus rapidly spreads through our community.”

As of Wednesday afternoon there were 532 active cases of COVID-19 in Wyandot County.

The cumulative case count since March 2020 is 1,493. This includes 1,252 lab-confirmed cases, 227 probable cases, and 14 probable cases based on positive antibody tests.

There are currently 15 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 with a cumulative count of 112 hospitalizations. Of the reported individuals, there have been 29 deaths and 932 recoveries.

Continue to practice social distancing, wear face coverings in public, clean and disinfect regularly, monitor health daily and wash hands frequently.

Wyandot County currently is at a level three (red) on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System. At level three, there is very high exposure and spread and county residents are asked to limit activities as much as possible. Wyandot County currently has the highest incidence rate per capita in the state.

Continue to practice social distancing, to wear face coverings in public, to clean and disinfect regularly, to monitor health daily and to wash hands frequently.

Wednesday, the Ohio Department of Health has reported 653,650 confirmed and probable cases, 36,345 hospitalizations, and 8,456 deaths in Ohio.

For additional statewide case information, download the COVID Summary data spreadsheet at coronavirus.ohio.gov/static/COVIDSummaryData.csv.

The Ohio Department of Health has created a dashboard which provides both local and regional data at coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/ portal/gov/covid-19/home/dashboard.

A statewide mandated face covering order is in place. All individuals in Ohio must wear facial coverings in public at all times.

— At an indoor location that is not a residence.

— Outdoors, but unable to maintain 6-foot social distance from people who are not household members.

— Waiting for, riding, driving, or operating public transportation, such as a taxi, a car service, or a private car used for ride-sharing.

The order only requires those 10 years old or older to wear a mask. Additional exclusions include:

— Those with a medical condition or a disability or those communicating with someone with a disability.

— Those who are actively exercising or playing sports.

— Those who are officiants at religious services.

— Those who are actively involved in public safety.

— Those who are actively eating or drinking.

Antibody testing currently is available to the public. As Wyandot County Public Health receives the results of these tests, it will be reported using specific criteria. If the patient received a positive antibody test and had been in close contact with a lab-confirmed case, linked to a community outbreak or exhibited symptoms of COVID-19, the case will be labeled as probable. A positive antibody test result meeting none of these conditions will be considered a suspected case.

For more information on antibody tests, visit cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/testing/serology-overview.html.

Additional information is available at the ODH information line by calling 833-4-ASK-ODH and at the CDC’s website cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/.