WHEELING-OHIO COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

PRESS RELEASE

Thursday, September 24, 2020 (4:30pm)

 

Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department is announcing four (4) new cases of COVID-19 in Ohio County.  Currently, the health department reports a total of 368 cases, including eight (7) probable cases and six (6) deaths.  Case surveillance, contact tracing, and monitoring continues for many of the reported cases.

An Ohio Valley Regional Transportation Authority bus driver has tested positive for COVID-19.  The case was identified during testing on September 20, 2020.  Anyone who rode the Elm Grove route on September 18th and 19th (6:30-10:45am and 1:55-6:05pm) is to monitor their health for symptoms of COVID-19.  Individuals can get a COVID-19 test if they have symptoms or think they have had close contact (within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes) with someone with confirmed COVID-19. Buses are cleaned and disinfected nightly and commonly touched surfaces are cleaned throughout the day.  Passengers and drivers are required to wear masks.

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.