COVID cases increase at local nursing home

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As of Monday, Highland County had recorded a total of 274 lab-confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases, according to the Highland County Health Department.

In a previous Facebook post, Highland County Health Commissioner Jared Warner stated that probable cases must “[meet] clinical criteria AND epidemiologic evidence with no confirmatory laboratory testing performed for COVID-19” or “[meet] presumptive laboratory evidence AND either clinical criteria OR epidemiologic evidence.”

As of Monday, the health department had documented 19 probable cases in Highland County since the pandemic began.

The health department also reported that as of Monday there were currently 28 actively sick patients and two COVID-19-related hospitalizations, while the health department was monitoring 108 people for symptoms.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak began, there have been a total of four COVID-19-related hospitalizations, four COVID-19-related deaths in Highland County, and 242 patients have recovered from COVID-19.

In a Friday Facebook post, the Highland County Health Department reported that it had seen a large increase over a two-day period.

In a Monday Facebook post, Warner wrote that the health department has been providing support to Crestwood Ridge Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation in Hillsboro.

“If you have been watching our local COVID-19 numbers recently, you have noticed a significant increase over the last couple of weeks,” Warner wrote. “… Crestwood has seen 20 cases in residents, and 5 cases in staff since the beginning of their outbreak. Highland County has been largely spared from long term care outbreaks so far, but we have seen several other facilities in surrounding counties go through situations like this. I want to be clear that this is not the fault of any specific person, or a failure on the part of Crestwood. In the midst of a global pandemic, congregate facilities like this are at high risk because of how easily disease can spread. When we have a disease like COVID-19 that can spread before symptoms or even without symptoms, then we can expect our local congregate living locations to be impacted at some point.

“This is why we continue to ask people to wash their hands, keep their distance, and wear a mask. When COVID-19 gets into facilities like this, it can make people sick very quickly. The lower our disease rates are in Highland County, the easier it is for us to protect our family members that are in long term care settings…

“I ask that you keep this facility’s staff and residents in your thoughts and prayers as they work through this outbreak.”

According to Warner, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH)’s long-term care facilities dashboard will reflect this increase later this week due to a reporting delay.

As of Monday, ODH reported that Crestwood had six COVID-19 cases involving residents and three cases involving staff during the current week. ODH also reported that, since April 15, Crestwood has had six cumulative cases involving residents and four cases involving staff.

In other Highland County nursing homes, ODH reported that Edgewood Manor, Heartland of Hillsboro, and the Laurels of Hillsboro had no active cases involving residents or staff.

Also according to ODH, which reported 249 overall cases throughout the county to date as of Monday, of the cases in Highland County:

* 44 cases involved 50- to 59-year-olds, five of whom were hospitalized.

* 39 cases involved 70- to 79-year-olds, nine of whom were hospitalized and one of whom later died.

* 39 cases involved 60- to 69-year-olds, five of whom were hospitalized.

* 38 cases involved 40- to 49-year-olds, three of whom were hospitalized.

* 31 cases involved 20- to 29-year-olds, one of whom was hospitalized.

* 28 cases involved 30- to 39-year-olds, one of whom was hospitalized.

* 22 cases involved 0- to 19-year-olds, one of whom was hospitalized.

* Seven cases involved someone 80 years old or older, five of whom were hospitalized and two of whom later died.

* One case involved someone of an unknown age range.

Throughout the state of Ohio as of Monday, there have been 159,964 COVID-19 cases; 15,840 people have been hospitalized in connection with COVID-19; 4,931 people have died in connection with COVID-19; and 137,633 people have recovered from COVID-19.

As of Thursday, Highland County remains at a level 1 public emergency, which represents active COVID-19 exposure and spread.

Nearby, Pike and Scioto counties remain level 3 emergencies, which represent very high exposure and spread, as of Thursday. ODH noted that both counties have high case incidences.

ODH recommends that residents and those visiting level 3 counties limit activities as much as possible.

In mid-July, the ODH upgraded Highland County to a level 2 public emergency, which represents increased COVID-19 exposure and spread. The county remained a level 2 public emergency until Aug. 20, when it returned to a level 1 rating.

For more information about ODH’s public health advisory system, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/public-health-advisory-system/.

For more information on the COVID-19 pandemic in Ohio, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov.

Reach McKenzie Caldwell at 937-402-2570.

This graphic maps out the number of new COVID-19 cases each day in Highland County from March 1 to Oct. 3. The data is based on the date patients began to experience COVID-19 symptoms.
https://www.timesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2020/10/web1_COVIDSummaryData_Cases.jpegThis graphic maps out the number of new COVID-19 cases each day in Highland County from March 1 to Oct. 3. The data is based on the date patients began to experience COVID-19 symptoms. Graphic courtesy of the Ohio Department of Health
28 active cases in Highland County

By McKenzie Caldwell

[email protected]

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