VW County Covid-19 cases increase to 29

VW independent/submitted information

As of Thursday, the Van Wert County General Health District is reporting 29 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in county residents. The 29th case is in the 20-29 age range. A total of 16 of the confirmed cases have recovered, with three of the 10 active cases currently hospitalized. 

In recent days, Van Wert County has seen an increase in the number of people who have tested positive for Covid-19. When two or more confirmed cases who are not related are linked by a common place or event, then this situation is defined as an outbreak. The name of the outbreak does not necessarily mean that the confirmed cases were spread at that facility, as many people, especially in a small town, socialize in the same places. 

At this point, the Van Wert County General Health District is investigating a situation listed as an outbreak. There are currently six confirmed cases in Van Wert County residents who are employed by Cooper Farms in Van Wert. Of these six employees, two are still active cases, while the other four have recovered. 

Cooper Farms has cooperated with the health department since the beginning of the outbreak, and Van Wert County Health Department staff conducted a site visit to view mitigation efforts and to discuss current practices. 

As people head into the holiday weekend, the health department reminds Van Wert residents of the importance of safety measures to help stop the spread of Covid-19. People should continue to practice social distancing, wear face coverings, wash their hands, sanitize, and stay home if they are sick. 

The Van Wert County General Health District will not be releasing data over the weekend unless warranted by a significant event. Current information is available on the dashboard at http://coronavirus.ohio.gov. Age ranges, date of symptom onset, and date of hospitalizations are available by downloading the summary data on the dashboard. 

For more information about Covid-19, contact the Van Wert County General Health District at 419.238.0808. For information on Covid-19, including ways to keep people healthy, go to www.coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 833.427.5634. Information and resources are also available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.coronavirus.gov.