CANTON, Ohio — A fourth person in Ohio has tested positive for coronavirus, and that person is in Stark County, according to the Ohio Department of Health and Canton City Public Health.
Canton health officials are holding a news conference - watch live below:
This case, a man in his mid-50s, is the first example of “community spread” of COVID-19 in Ohio, said Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton. This means the man had no history of travel outside the United States, and had no known contact with someone else with the disease.
The patient is currently hospitalize, and health officials in Canton and Stark County are investigating the large number of contacts the patient had, state officials said.
Acton said they expect to see more cases, and more proof of community spread, in the coming days.
“We are working closely with the Ohio Department of Health, following protocols and guidance in place, to identify close contacts of this individual who will be instructed to self-quarantine, and public health will monitor for 14 days,” said Jim Adams, Canton City Public Health Commissioner. “Our focus right now is to support the care of this individual and protect the health of our residents.”
Canton City Public Health was notified of a "presumptive positive" test result for COVID-19 at Mercy Medical Center in a resident of Stark County, states a release from CCPH. The organization is working to identify any close contacts of this resident who would require testing or monitoring for symptoms.
“The news of a COVID-19 case in our county is not a surprise. We have been planning and preparing to respond to cases when they occur," Adams said. "We have community interventions in place that are designed to slow transmission in our community while lessening the impact. Our investigation is on-going. Our main goal is to isolate those who are ill, identify close contacts and monitor for illness.”
The Ohio Department of Health confirmed the fourth case Wednesday, as well as 24 persons under investigation, meaning they exhibited symptoms, were tested, and the results are pending.
Additional Coronavirus information and resources:
Below you can find information and resources on novel coronavirus, COVID-19, from local, state, national and international organizations, including the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, the Ohio Department of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization.
News 5 will continue to update this section with new information, resources, links, and more as it is made available.
COVID-19/2019 Novel Coronavirus Overview from the CDC:
“2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV/COVID-19) is a virus (more specifically, a coronavirus) identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China. At this time, it’s unclear how easily or sustainably this virus is spreading between people. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common in many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can infect people and then spread between people such as with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).”
“When person-to-person spread has occurred with MERS and SARS, it is thought to have happened mainly via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how influenza and other respiratory pathogens spread. Spread of MERS and SARS between people has generally occurred between close contacts.”
Global case numbers are reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) in their coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation reportexternal icon.
Coronavirus in Ohio:
As of Tuesday, March 10, there were three confirmed cases of coronavirus in Ohio, all in Cuyahoga County, outside of Cleveland. Fifteen persons were under investigation for the disease.
According to the governor, two of the confirmed cases are from a married couple that went on a cruise on the Nile River.
The other case is from a person that went to the AIPAC conference in Washington D.C. According to a cantor from the Jewish Temple in Beachwood, 160 people from Cleveland attended the conference.
The three patients are between 54 and 56-years-old, according to officials. None of the positive cases have been hospitalized at this time.
READ MORE: Ohio's 3 coronavirus cases are in Cuyahoga County; Gov. DeWine declares state of emergency
On Tuesday, after consulting with medical experts, Gov. DeWine announced wide-ranging, statewide recommendations, including holding sporting events without spectators and having colleges and universities switch to remote learning.
See the Coronavirus information page on the Ohio Department of Health's website for the latest numbers of confirmed cases and persons under investigation.
From News 5 and affiliates:
News 5's Coronavirus continuing coverage page
Worldwide Coronavirus Tracker from Johns Hopkins University
EPA releases list of approved disinfectants to use against COVID-19
How to protect yourself from coronavirus when flying
Think you may have the coronavirus? Here’s what to do
A state of emergency was issued in Ohio following 3 positive COVID-19 cases. Here's what it means.
Cuyahoga County Medical Director answers your questions about coronavirus
Symptoms
The symptoms of coronavirus are fever and lower respiratory tract issues, such as cough and shortness of breath, according to the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.
Travel
Anyone traveling internationally should review plans in advance of their trip, and check the CDC’s COVID-19 Travel Information Page for daily updates and travel alerts.
Click here for the CDC COVID-19 Travel Information Page
Practice Good Hygiene
The CCBH recommends the following good hygiene practices to prevent coronavirus, as well as the flu, colds and other illnesses:
Sneeze or cough into the bend of your elbow to keep germs from spreadingRegularly wash your hands with soap and water/use alcohol-based hand sanitizer in betweenDon’t share cups, spoons, forks, etc. with anyoneDon’t make food for anyone if you are sickDon’t go to work or school if you are sickVisit a doctor, urgent care or emergency department if you are sick – don’t take chances
Please contact your medical provider with any questions.
Guidance for those with compromised immune systems
Click here for specific guidance from the CCBH for anyone at higher risk for becoming ill.
Additional Resources
Cuyahoga County: See the CCBH page on coronavirus here.
Ohio Department of Health:
Click here for the Ohio Department of Health’s Coronavirus information page.
It is updated daily at 2 p.m. with the current number of confirmed cases, persons under investigation and persons under investigation who tested negative for the disease.
More resources from ODH:
Fact sheet
Prevention infographic
Resources and information
Ohio Secretary of State:
Corona Facts: Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has launched a web page dedicated to providing facts about coronavirus' impacts on voting and the Primary Election in Ohio.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The CCBH has created this list of coronavirus-related resources from the CDC:
Homepage for COVID-19 materials and information
Fact sheet – Chinese
Fact sheet – English
Fact sheet – Spanish
Guidance for businesses
Guidance for colleges and universities
Guidance for communities and mass gatherings
Guidance for healthcare facilities
Guidance for healthcare professionals
Guidance for people with elevated risk for illness
Guidance for pregnant women
Guidance for risk assessment
Guidance for schools
Guidance for travelers
What you can do to stop the spread of COVID-19 – Chinese
What you can do to stop the spread of COVID-19 – English
What you can do to stop the spread of COVID-19 – Spanish
If you are sick with COVID-19 – Chinese
If you are sick with COVID-19 – English
If you are sick with COVID-19 – Spanish
Preventing spread of COVID-19 at election/polling/voting locations
Prevention and treatment
Symptoms – overview
World Health Organization
Coronavirus information
Mythbusters – the truth about food, packages, pets and other things related to COVID-19
Video – What is COVID-19?
Video – What is my risk of getting COVID-19?
Video – How can I protect myself from COVID-19?
