Jay Co. reports 4th case

Jay County has its fourth case of COVID-19.

On Wednesday evening, Jay County Health Department reported the county’s fourth confirmed case of the disease caused by coronavirus.

Details about patients are not released because of privacy laws. The health department works with medal providers and Indiana State Department of Health to notify close contacts of those who have COVID-19 and make sure appropriate precautions are taken.

The Jay County case was one of 408 new cases reported by the state department of health this morning, down for the second consecutive day after 563 new cases were reported Tuesday.

Indiana, however, reported 42 new deaths attributed to COVID-19, the highest total thus far. The previous high mark was 34 Tuesday.

Totals for the Hoosier state during the pandemic are 6,351 cases and 245 deaths. Marion County (Indianapolis) is home to about 38 percent of Indiana’s total. Case totals in area counties are as follows: Delaware – 49, Darke – 38; Mercer – 11; Randolph – seven; Blackford – four; Wells – three; and Adams – two.

Darke County on Wednesday reported its seventh death from COVID-19. All of those have been associated with Greenville Health and Rehabilitation, which also accounts for 31 of the county’s total cases.

As of its Wednesday afternoon report, Ohio had a total of 5,148 cases and 193 deaths.

Health officials continue to indicate the actual number of cases is likely much higher because testing for COVID-19 is still limited.

Dr. Amy Acton, director of the Ohio Department of Health, warned Wednesday that difficult weeks remain ahead.

“Deaths are going to increase and cases are going to increase even though our efforts have bought us time,” she said. “Though the models show we're making headway, we are going to have several bad weeks to come. We're going in the right direction but we are not out of the woods.”

During Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb’s daily media briefing Wednesday, Indiana Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box said the state has received 15 point-of-care COVID-19 testing machines that will allow testing with results in about 15 to 30 minutes. Testing supplies for those machines are limited now, Box said, but the state is expecting to receive more.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Wednesday announced he asked the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation to use $1.6 billion in dividends to help ease the economic impact of the pandemic on employers. If approved by the bureau’s board, about $1.4 billion would go to private employers and $200 million to local government units, including counties, municipalities and schools.

Coronavirus is spread through respiratory droplets from sneezes and coughs, close personal contact and touching something with the virus on it and then touching the mouth, nose or eyes before washing hands. Jay County Health Department continues to encourage residents to wash their hands often, avoid touching their faces with unwashed hands, avoid close contact with those who are sick and to cover coughs and sneezes with a facial tissue.

“Social distancing is still of paramount importance in slowing the spread of the virus,” the health department said in a press release.

For most, COVID-19 symptoms are mild to moderate, including fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. Older adults and those with pre-existing health problems are susceptible to more severe illnesses.