Hamilton County, OH……..Hamilton County Public Health announces the first confirmed positive COVID-19 in Hamilton County.
The patient is a female in her 20s. She is currently in isolation at home. The patient is a New York resident staying with family in Hamilton County. As such, this case will not be included in Ohio’s case count. Out of respect for the patient’s privacy, no additional identifying information will be released.
“This patient handled her illness perfectly by going into isolation as soon as she was symptomatic, contacting a physician and meticulously following the guidelines. The patient stayed away from other family members and made those that were in contact with her aware that they should stay home as well,” says interim Hamilton County Health Commissioner Greg Kesterman. “This is a great example of how we can all work to flatten the curve and reduce cases of COVID-19 in Ohio.”
Hamilton County Public Health will monitor the patient during her isolation. “We will be in daily contact with the individual and with our partners at the Ohio Department of Health as we take every precaution necessary to limit the spread of this virus,” Kesterman adds.
Hamilton County Public Health (HCPH) is identifying close contacts of this confirmed case, all of whom will be advised to self-quarantine. Close contacts may include family members, co-workers, emergency responders and other contacts.
The public can help:
- If you have questions, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov for complete information. You may also call the Ohio Department of Health call center at 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634) seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Do not go to the emergency room unless essential. Emergency rooms need to be able to serve those with the most critical needs. If you have symptoms like cough, fever, or other respiratory problems, contact your doctor first.
- Stay home when sick
- Practice good personal hygiene habits, including handwashing, coughing into tissue or elbow, avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Stay away from people who are ill, especially if you are 60 and older or have underlying health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, or a weakened immune system.
- Stay informed. Information is changing rapidly. Check and subscribe to Hamilton County Public Health’s website at www.hcph.org; visit the Ohio Department of Health at coronavirus.ohio.gov; or the CDC at cdc.gov
“Preventing the spread of diseases is the foundation of public health, and it is what we are trained to do,” Kesterman said. “We investigate communicable diseases on a daily basis to protect the health of our residents. The only difference in this case is that it is a new virus and we are still learning about it.”
The 2019 novel coronavirus was first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019. The virus can spread from an infected person to another person through close (within about six feet) personal contact, usually through droplets from a sneeze or a cough.
The novel coronavirus is a respiratory illness and symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing. It can take as many as 14 days for the symptoms to appear after a person has been exposed to the virus.
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Hamilton County Public Health works to assure the 480,000 citizens living outside the cities of Cincinnati, Norwood and Springdale are safe from disease, injury and contamination.
For Immediate Release: 3/19/2020
Contact: Mike Samet, Public Information Officer, 513.946.7873
