ASHLAND — There are currently 34 active cases of COVID-19 and no new deaths to report in Ashland County since last week, according to a Friday, July 24 press release from Ashland County Health Department (ACHD) Health Commissioner Heather Reffett.
Recently, the local health department had committed to release weekly updates to local media every Thursday or Friday, but beginning Monday, July 27, updated Ashland County specific COVID-19 data will be released on the ACHD website every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
The Friday news release reports a total 116 COVID-19 positive cases of which 113 are confirmed and 3 are probable. There have been four deaths. The two most recent deaths are associated with an outbreak at the American Legion in Jeromesville and the McMullen Assisted Care facility in Loudonville.
Additionally, public health nurses are monitoring 127 individuals for symptoms of COVID-19 and continues to investigate outbreaks as they occur. Ashland County has a population of 53,484 as of 2019. There were no new large-scale outbreaks to report on Friday.
The ACHD expressed a commitment to providing the community with continual support through the new statewide mask order put in place by Governor DeWine and the State of Ohio yesterday. The health department encourages all to be vigilant with their personal efforts to stop the spread of the COVID-19, the press release said.
In following and referencing a July 23 order from the state, the ACHD is also encouraging as many businesses as possible to allow employees to work from home by implementing policies in areas such as teleworking and video conferencing.
ACHD Health Commissioner Heather Reffett states the additional cases are validation for this measure as COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the country.
“We support the recommendations of Governor Mike DeWine and the Health Director of the Ohio Department of Health,” she said. “We must stay home as much as possible to limit our community’s exposure to COVID-19. Not only will that have a tremendous impact on reducing the number of unnecessary deaths, but we will also be protecting our healthcare system.”
As the ACHD works to contain COVID-19, the public health staff will be working remotely for a period of time. This action is needed to ensure that while the virus continues to spread in the community, that nurses and other team members can stay healthy and ensure 24/7 coverage in working to control the spread of the virus.This is similar to the public closure that occurred earlier this year in March and April.
The health department will continue to provide services to the public, including the issuance of vital records, but the Department will not be open to the public.
If assistance is needed, staff will still be answering the phone and returning any missed calls.
