Two additional Highland County residents have died in connection to COVID-19, Highland County Health Commissioner Jared Warner reported in a Wednesday post to the Highland County Health Department’s Facebook page.
Warner did not provide any additional information regarding those deaths.
As of Wednesday, the Highland County Health Department has reported a total of 10 deaths in the county since the county’s first Covid death in May.
Warner also announced Wednesday that Highland County will host its first “Pop Up COVID-19 Testing” event on Oct. 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Highland County Fairgrounds.
The event will be free and open to the public.
“Increased testing availability is one of the most effective ways that we can control the spread of COVID-19 in Highland County,” Warner wrote. “It is likely that our local numbers will increase as a result of this testing, which in this case is a good thing. If we are able to better identify cases in the community, our health department staff will use our isolation and quarantine procedures to prevent cases in the future.
“We continue to aim for a level-headed and calm approach to our COVID-19 response, and I want to emphasize that this testing event is a proactive step meant to help our population have better access to testing. We are also trying to get ahead of recent case increases by improving our ability locally to see and understand where disease transmission is happening in the community.”
More information will be available in the coming days. Check timesgazette.com for updates.
In news regarding local nursing homes and schools, Warner reported Wednesday that “many” cases involving residents and staff members at Crestwood Ridge Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation in Hillsboro have recovered, according to the CDC’s case definition.
Below are the updated numbers for local nursing homes as of Wednesday:
* Crestwood had active COVID-19 cases involving nine residents and seven staff members.
* The Laurels of Hillsboro had active COVID-19 cases involving 50 residents and 15 staff members.
* Heartland of Hillsboro had active COVID-19 cases involving five residents and two staff members.
Warner added that around 90 students from school districts across the county will return to school from quarantine this week.
The following are Highland County’s overall COVID-19 numbers as of Wednesday:
Highland County has had a total of 468 lab-confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases, according to the Highland County Health Department.
The health department also reported that there were currently 93 actively sick patients and three COVID-19-related hospitalizations, and the health department is currently monitoring 331 people for symptoms.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak reached Highland County, there have been a total of 38 COVID-19-related hospitalizations and 10 COVID-19-related deaths, and 365 patients have recovered from COVID-19.
According to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), which reported 417 cases in the county as of Wednesday, of the cases in Highland County:
* 67 cases involved 60- to 69-year-olds, seven who were hospitalized and one of who later died.
* 62 cases involved 70- to 79-year-olds, 12 who were hospitalized and one who later died.
* 61 cases involved 50- to 59-year-olds, seven who were hospitalized.
* 57 cases involved 40- to 49-year-olds, three who were hospitalized.
* 54 cases involved 20- to 29-year-olds, one who was hospitalized.
* 39 cases involved someone 80 years old or older, six who were hospitalized and two of who later died.
* 38 cases involved 0- to 19-year-olds, one who was hospitalized.
* 37 cases involved 30- to 39-year-olds, one who was hospitalized.
* Two cases involved someone of an unknown age range.
Warner previously stated that there is a delay in the reporting process between individual counties and the ODH.
For more information on the COVID-19 pandemic in Ohio, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov.
Reach McKenzie Caldwell at 937-402-2570.
