WHEELING-OHIO COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday, September 16, 2020 (4:30pm)
Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department is announcing four (4) new positive cases of COVID-19 in Ohio County. Currently, the health department reports a total of 344 cases, including six (6) deaths. Case surveillance, contact tracing, and monitoring continues for many of the reported cases.
On Monday, September 21, 2020, from 9:00am to 4:00pm, the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department will hold a Free COVID-19 Testing Clinic at The Highlands (Power Center lower parking lot near Old Navy, 565 Cabela Drive). This is an open clinic with no residency restrictions. The clinic is for those with or without symptoms and no insurance is needed. Participants need to bring a driver’s license, photo ID or other proof of address. Patients under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. This is a mass drive up testing clinic and participants will be tested in their personal vehicles. This special clinic is being host by the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department and the Wheeling-Ohio County Emergency Management Agency.
Investigation to date indicates that cases are associated with resident and nonresident vacation travel, group events including family gatherings, cases at higher education centers, and cases with no other risk factor, which can be an indicator of active community spread. The Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department is monitoring three outbreaks among facilities in Ohio County. These facilities include a local long-term care center, a local university, and a local business.
Ohio County and Ohio Valley residents are advised to limit public contact, implement social distancing, work at home where possible, wear a face-covering when out in public, indoors, or at work, wash your hands frequently and contact your personal physician if you become ill with fever, cough, or difficulty breathing.
The Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department is reminding Ohio Valley residents that if you are tested for COVID-19 that you are to remain in home isolation until you receive negative test results. Individuals who test positive will be contacted by a county health department and receive further instructions in regard to care and monitoring.
If positive, you should restrict activities outside your home, except for getting medical care. Do not go to work, school, or public areas. If you have a medical appointment, call the healthcare provider and tell them that you have or may have COVID-19 prior to arriving at the facility. This will help the healthcare provider’s office take steps to keep other people from getting infected or exposed.
The off-site Wheeling Hospital COVID-19 testing clinic continues operations. Ohio Valley residents who are interested in being tested at this location should call the on-call number at (304) 221-3995. Testing is also available at Doctor’s Urgent Care, call (304) 232-0725 for more information. MedExpress is also testing for COVID-19, for more information call (304) 242-4228.