(Posted March 22, 2020)
Madison County Public Health (MCPH) is reporting the first confirmed COVID-19 case in Madison County. The patient is a 29-year-old Madison County resident. MCPH is not releasing additional demographic information relating to any cases to protect the privacy of the individual during this time of illness.
The patient is being isolated at home and is in contact with their family doctor. MCPH is working with the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) to conduct contact tracing to determine if any of the patient’s close contacts are sick. Those contacts who are sick will be isolated at home and remain in touch with their doctor. All people in contact with the person who tested positive for COVID-19 will stay home for 14 days. For those contacts who are not sick, guidance is being provided to monitor themselves for sickness and what to do if they should get sick. If you have not been in contact with the individual and are not called by health department staff, your risk is low.
“We know now that COVID-19 is in Madison County. Now more than ever, the community should continue to protect themselves,” said Madison County Health Commissioner Chris Cook. “People need to stay at home as much as possible to limit their exposures. At this point, you should not be out unless it is necessary.”
According to ODH and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), areas of the United States including Ohio are experiencing “community spread” of the virus that causes COVID-19. Community spread means people have been infected with the virus in an area where there is no travel history to other affected areas. Experts from both ODH and CDC expect the number of cases nationwide to continue to increase.
Prevention is still the best tool for COVID-19 across Ohio.
“We talk about prevention all the time,” Cook stated. “We firmly believe that personal choices are going to play a huge part of how this illness plays out. We all have a personal responsibility to help prevent COVID-19. Stay home as much as you can, especially if you are sick. That’s our best weapon against COVID-19 right now.”
