Lake County now has one of the highest COVID incidence rates in the state

LAKE COUNTY, Ohio – Governor Mike DeWine made a stop in Cleveland on Wednesday to deal with the “worsening” coronavirus situation in the state. During his remarks from the Burke Lakefront Airport, he pointed out that Lake County had 10 times the positivity rate than what the Centers for Disease Control defines as “high incidence,” with 1 in 100 people in the county tested positive for the disease within the past two weeks.

Lake County is the only county in northeastern Ohio among the top 20 counties with the most COVID-19 cases.

In the past two weeks, Lake County has reported 2,260 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The county has the 4th highest incidence rate in the past two weeks of all 88 counties in Ohio.

“You know, these numbers are just shocking. That means one in 100 people in the past two weeks has been diagnosed with COVID, ”DeWine said, referring to Lake County in the top 20 counties.

Lake County remains at Red Level 3 on the state’s public health advisory system.

Lake County Health Commissioner Ron H. Graham on Wednesday announced changes to the way Lake conducts COVID-19 investigations and contact tracing procedures to “maximize the number of lives saved “.

“It’s unprecedented. It hits us hard, ”Graham said,

The department made the “difficult” decision to shift staff resources to conduct case interviews and limit contact tracing activities for most confirmed cases of COVID-19.

“Systematic testing, contact tracing, and supported isolation and quarantine remain the cornerstone of an effective public health response to the COVID-19 outbreak,” Graham said. results in an alarming number of exposed cases and contacts that are beyond the capacity of public health personnel in almost all jurisdictions. “

Graham compared the decision to stop contact tracing to the way hospitals postpone elective surgeries, further explaining that “public health must prioritize and adapt to rapidly changing conditions in a community.

Residents of Lake County can expect the following:

• LCGHD will only contact confirmed cases of COVID-19, rather than probable cases, reported through the Ohio disease notification system. Interviews will be conducted to determine periods of isolation, identify close contacts and determine the risk of transmission to vulnerable populations.
• LCGHD requests that confirmed cases communicate directly to their own close contacts to notify possible exposure. LCGHD will only conduct limited contact tracing if it is determined that these individuals are at high risk of serious illness, are critical infrastructure workers, or are at risk of creating an epidemic. As a result, contact tracing will not occur in most situations.s.

For anyone diagnosed with COVID-19, whether they are showing symptoms or not, LCGHD has said the same instructions should apply, isolating at home, including:

• Watch for symptoms. Seek medical attention immediately if you have difficulty breathing.
• Stay in a room separate from other household members, if possible.
• Use a separate bathroom, if possible.
• Avoid contact with other members of the house and pets.
• Clean and disinfect all commonly touched surfaces such as door knobs, remote controls, etc.
• Do not share personal household items, such as cups, towels, and utensils.

• Wear a mask when surrounded by other people living in the house

ODH

“It’s just a phenomenal fire raging across the state,” DeWine said.

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