The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Highland County stood at seven as of Monday afternoon, with two county residents hospitalized because of the virus, Highland County Emergency Operations Center Public Information Officer Branden Jackman said in a news release.

“We are pleased to give some good news as well. As we reported last week, we had one case released from isolation and considered recovered,” Jackman said. “As we start the new week we can add two more to the recovered list. Do not rest on your laurels as two adjacent counties are showing a significant amount of lab confirmations and it could easily happen here if we don’t continue the recommendations from the Ohio Department of Health.

“We have no probables to report at this time as we are still trying to decipher the new guidelines from the CDC and Ohio Department of Health and want to make sure we report everything accurately. As we have stated before, the numbers that truly matter are the hospital utilization and how many of those admissions require an intensive care bed.”

Access to testing and the amount of time it takes for results to be returned continues to improve. The Emergency Operations Center is finding success by sending samples to an Ohio State University lab and seeing a turnaround in the results of less than 48 hours in most cases, Jackman said.

“As we approach a possible surge in cases locally, the plans and safeguards put in place over these last weeks will be sufficient to handle the surge and protect Highland County the best we can,” he said. “We all need to continue with physical distancing, washing our hands, covering our coughs, and staying home unless it’s essential travel. If it’s not essential it’s just not worth it. Everything we are doing is one step closer to flattening the curve and helping save the lives of our fellow Ohioans.”