NOTE: Updated with the numbers from ODRC released Friday afternoon. CLICK HERE to see the latest information from ODRC.
In a news release Friday, the Pike County General Health District is reporting a probable case of COVID-19 in a Pike County resident.
Per the Center for Disease Control, a probable case is someone who had direct contact with a confirmed case and became symptomatic, but the health care provider decided not to test.
In the release, PCGHD says its infectious disease staff are following department infectious disease investigation guidelines and have completed contact tracing. “The health district has contacted anyone who was in close contact with this individual.”
Meanwhile, Ross County is now reporting 35 cases, up from 30 on Thursday. 304 cases are being investigated by the Ross County Health District. The Report by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections noted Chillicothe Correctional Institution now has four inmates in isolation and three testing positive.
CLICK HERE to see the latest information from ODRC.
As of 2pm ET Friday, Ohio has 15,169 total cases with 3,053 hospitalizations and 690 total deaths, 649 confirmed. CLICK HERE to see the statewide COVID-19 numbers.
Of the region’s ten county area, 1,842* cases, 67 hospitalizations and 9 deaths. (*) includes Pickaway Correctional Institute numbers, 1,643 staff (80) and inmates (1,563): Cases by county: Fairfield, 108; Fayette, 13; Highland, 8; Hocking, 6; Jackson, 4; Pickaway, 1,659; Pike, 3; Ross, 35; Scioto, 6; Vinton, 0.
In the coming weeks, watch for COVID-19 testing to become more prevalent in Ohio.
In his daily news conference Friday, Governor Mike DeWine announced through the efforts of former Governors Dick Celeste and Bob Taft heading the Ohio Coronavirus Testing Strike Force, a partnership with Thermo Fisher for increasing the kits necessary for COVID-19 testing.
The major reason for the conservative use of Ohio’s of test kits has been shortage of supply. Additionally, swabs used in testing have been difficult to come by. DeWine says that will be solved by a second partnership with Cleveland area based ROE Dental Laboratory, which will be able to produce one million swabs for the tests.
DeWine laid out a production structure beginning April 29th will see Ohio with the ability to test 7,200 people a day, expanding to 22,000 by May 27th.
The Governor added the state will have the ability to be more aggressive with testing in nursing homes, attacking hot spots should they happen, test in homeless shelters as well as homes for developing disabled and workers in the food service, grocery and manufacturing industries.
This Monday, DeWine plans to detail the process to re-open Ohio after May 1st, the final day of the extended Ohio Stay-At-Home Order.
***UPDATED to reflect numbers as of 2pm ET April 23, 2020
Ross County remains at 29 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with one probable case. 293 cases in the county are being investigated with 233 tests proving negative. Thirty more are awaiting test results.
Those affected range from ages 19-to-80 with seven cases being in their 40s and six, the second most, in their 60s.
Seven cases are hospitalized with 8 having recovered and one death.
Vinton County remains the only county in Ohio with no confirmed cases. The Vinton County Health Department reports 25 tests returning negative with one pending results.
Meanwhile, Adena Health System has been sending masks to Battelle for decontamination with success. Battelle received authorization for the process by the Food and Drug Administration in late March and Adena sent its first batch of masks to be decontaminated and recycled.
Chillicothe – The Chillicothe VA Medical Center understands recovery support is as important as ever, especially in the present times of social distancing and increased isolation. Addiction Recovery Services programs have been modified to include virtual treatment to reach Veterans in their homes via their personal device (laptop, iPad, smart phone or telephone).
Brief-Intensive Outpatient Treatment (B-IOT) via Video on Demand
B-IOT is recommended for those just starting their recovery journey or those who have recently completed a residential program and need a high level of support and structure on an outpatient basis. All treatment in B-IOT utilizes evidenced informed practices which have demonstrated success at helping individuals make successful change to their substance use.
Chillicothe VA’s B-IOT meets virtually three times per day, three days per week Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for 27 sessions with the use of a mobile device to provide those in early recovery with the structure and support to achieve substance use treatment goals.
Aftercare Treatment via Video on Demand Aftercare is designed for those Veterans who have completed a Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment program and need ongoing care and support. The groups are 60 minutes in length and several recovery topics are addressed over a 26-week period.
Participants of Aftercare will attend one session per week for 26 weeks. This group is offered four times per week on Monday and Wednesday. “Living in Balance”, the evidenced based curriculum from Hazelden, is used in this therapy group.
Veterans interested in these programs can contact the VA’s Addiction Recovery Services at 740-773-1141, extension 7491.
***UPDATED to include April 22nd information released after 2pm, including the Ross County COVID-19 Report (see below the press release).
The Ross County Health District has announced the first death of a patient suffering from the COVID-19 virus. The name of the deceased is not being released.
“We want to offer our deepest sympathy and our prayers to the family of this individual” stated RCHD Administrator Ben Avery.
As of 2pm April 22nd, Ross County had 29 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and one probable with one death.
OHSAA Executive Director Jerry Snodgrass sent the memo to school administrators following Governor DeWine’s press conference. For weeks, the OHSAA has communicated with schools that spring sports would be canceled if school facilities were closed. In addition to facilities not being opened, it would be impossible to ensure the health and safety of all individuals and support personnel involved in practices and contests at all member schools.
“As we have stated in our previous communications, today’s announcement by Governor DeWine to close schools for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year also will now result in the cancellation of OHSAA-sponsored spring sports seasons including tournaments,” Snodgrass wrote Monday.
The OHSAA’s mandatory no-contact period for all interscholastic sports remained in effect until at least May 3, which could be extended. Coaches and school administrators are encouraged to have non-mandatory electronic and online communications with their student-athletes. The closure of school facilities includes all athletic facilities for any interscholastic training, practice or competition.
In an interview Monday afternoon, Snodgrass reflected on the unprecedented times that the pandemic has brought to the nation and the impact it has had on schools and interscholastic athletics.
“I’ve heard from so many people who have said ‘You really need to understand what this means to our kids,’” Snodgrass said during the interview. “I’m a parent. I was a coach. I grew up every day as a player and a coach wanting to play high school sports and get to the state tournament. So I do think I understand that. I also have to go with the fact that my number one concern that I have, over everything, is the health and safety of everyone involved. It’s not just our student-athletes. It’s the parents, coaches, umpires, officials, the scorekeepers. All those things enter into this. It’s a tough decision and it’s one that I and all the other Executive Directors of the other states never thought we would have to do. Never did I think this would be the case, but I’ve tried to be as prepared as I could every step of the way.”
Snodgrass also addressed the summer and start of fall sports in the interview.
“July is a very physical month for our student-athletes entering fall sports, so we have already started looking at, if this continues through the summer, we’ll have the potential of having a lot of kids who haven’t had the physical activity that they would normally have going into a fall season. So for the health and safety of everyone, we have to look at the acclimation periods going into the fall, if that happens. We have to be prepared for that. We’re also talking about that, if this does go through the summer, what is the likelihood that a student can get in to get a physical (annual medical exam). We have a sport medicine advisory group that is looking at that. They are looking at all aspects such as whether artificial surfaces need to be treated. We are relying on the advice of experts in our decision making.
The OHSAA will continue to communicate throughout the spring and summer regarding any adjustments to OHSAA off-season regulations, academic eligibility standards, sports medicine updates and more.
The big news from Governor Mike DeWine Monday, Ohio’s schools will not reopen for the rest of the 2019-20 school year and schools will continue to hold operations remotely as they have been since the Stay-At-Home Order in March.
DeWine cited that the virus continues and said while the curve has been flattened, the virus remains dangerous. The Governor added having talked with many superintendents and administrators there would be a lack of continuity if students were permitted to go back to respective schools.
COVID-19 Numbers:
Ohio’s Total Cases: 12,919, Confirmed: 12,516
Ohio’s Total Deaths: 509, Confirmed: 491
Marion and Pickaway County Correctional Institutions continue to be heaviest impacted of Ohio’s prisons:
Marion (MCI): 1,950 inmates/154 staff testing positive, 1 death
As Ohio readies for easing into it’s “new normal” for business, Litter Media visited with Mike Throne, President & CEO of the Chillicothe-Ross Chamber of Commerce to discuss what area businesses and his colleagues in the region and US Chambers are saying about it.
To learn more about what the Chamber is doing to assist members during the COVID-19 pandemic, visit their website www.chillicotheohio.com or follow them on Facebook, @ChilliChamber.
