Mahoning and Trumbull counties moved from yellow to red Thursday on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System, along with numerous other counties. Columbiana County remains at the orange level.
Red, “very high exposure,” is the second-highest warning level. No counties in the state have reached the highest level — purple — which indicates “severe exposure.”
Cases are up statewide, and now 96 percent of Ohioans live in a county at orange or red, Gov. Mike DeWine said.
“This has got to stop; we can do better than this,” DeWine said during the Thursday briefing. “It’s everywhere.”
Between Sept. 28 and Sunday, Trumbull County saw an increase of 95 cases, compared to 48 cases the previous week, according to the Trumbull County Combined Health District. The case rate per 100,000 people increased from 29.5 on Sept. 29 to 57.6 on Tuesday.
“For the most part, these are not cases from long-term care or the prison system. Near doubling of cases within a one-week period demonstrates a high level of community spread, as we are seeing spread of COVID-19 from family member to family member,” according to the health district.
“Please, be more careful, more vigilant out there,” Chris Wilster, director of environmental health for the Trumbull County Combined Health District, said.
The health district is meeting with other community officials to discuss spread-reduction efforts, and asks community members to limit their activities as much as possible, avoid large gatherings, practice social distancing, stay home if they are feeling sick, avoid touching their face, keep high-touch areas sanitized and wear a facial covering when out in public.
Mahoning County health officials also encourage the public to stick carefully to the guidelines.
“Facial coverings are to be worn at all times. This includes when in any indoor location that is not a residence; when outdoors and unable to consistently maintain a distance of 6 feet or more from individuals who are not members of their household; and waiting for, riding, driving, or operating public transportation, a taxi, a private care service or ride-sharing vehicle,” a statement from Mahoning County Public Health states.
When around those who are not following the guidelines, people should increase their level of caution, the health district asks.
People also should avoid high-risk areas, like public gatherings, monitor their own health daily, avoid contact with high-risk people, decrease in-person interactions and travel only when necessary, the district asks.
In Mahoning County, four of seven of the risk indicators were met. The county is at 87 cases per 100,000 people. That indicator is met when the rate is over 50 per 100,000 people. And, cases increased from an average of nine new daily cases on Sept. 19 to 19.3 per day on Sept. 30. More than 50 percent of the cases were not in a congregate setting, and there has been a sustained increase in emergency room visits. The rate went from 4.4 on average daily on Sept. 25 to 8.9 on Sunday, according to the health district.
DeWine said there was a lull in cases in August, but that has clearly ended. People have to be serious about following the health guidelines in order to reduce spread, keep the economy open and children in school.
“These numbers are very alarming,” DeWine said. “These numbers are not good.”
The rates are the highest they’ve been since July 23, DeWine said.
Lax adherence to mask wearing, social distancing and gathering rules are to blame, he said.
The spread is happening because of backyard barbecues, funerals, overnight sleepovers, birthday parties, school activities, family get-togethers and weddings, DeWine said.
After a wedding somewhere in the state — DeWine did not say where — COVID-19 spread to the guests, killing two of the couple’s grandfathers, he said.
DeWine said the cases in Mahoning County spread from a wedding that took place in a different county, at two different funerals, at a group home, between extended members of families and a birthday party.
The outbreak in a Champion school sports team that spread to other students and a coach who was hospitalized, and because one-third of schools in the county have at least one case, helped put Trumbull County in the red, according to DeWine.
The state saw an increase of 1,539 cases Thursday, bringing the total to 164,262. Thirteen new deaths were reported, bringing the total to 4,983.
One new death was reported in Columbiana County, bringing the total to 86. Five new cases in the county bring the county over the 2,000 mark, with a total of 2,003 cases.
Thirteen new cases were reported in Trumbull County, totalling 2,037 cases; 133 have died.
Mahoning County saw 27 new cases, bringing the total to 3,316; 282 have died.
COVID-19 by the numbers
The number of cases, changes in cases and deaths in counties in the region and statewide as of Thursday:
County Cases Change since Change since Deaths
yesterday last week
Trumbull 2,037 +13 +88 133
Mahoning 3,316 +27 +161 282
Columbiana 2,003 +5 +37 86
Ohio 164,262 +1,539 +8,948 4,983
SOURCE: Ohio Department of Health
The Link LonkOctober 09, 2020 at 12:42PM
https://www.tribtoday.com/news/local-news/2020/10/dread-the-red/
Dread the red | News, Sports, Jobs - Warren Tribune Chronicle
https://news.google.com/search?q=Red&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
No comments:
Post a Comment