Thursday, June 4th, 2020
Mercer County reports 8th death from virus
By Leslie Gartrell
CELINA - An eighth person has died from COVID-19 and three news cases of the virus reported on Wednesday raised Mercer County's total count to 218.
In Auglaize County, one new confirmed case raised that county's confirmed total to 69.
The eighth person to die from COVID-19 was a 91-year-old resident at The Gardens at St. Henry, according to a Mercer County Health District news release on Wednesday.
The three new cases involve two men, one between the age of 60-70 and one from the age of 40-50 and a woman from the age of 80-90. The two men are self-isolating at home, and the woman is hospitalized.
District officials also reported 157 people who have recovered, 46 pending tests, 744 negative test results and 10 hospitalizations due to COVID-19.
Of the eight deaths, five have been residents at The Gardens at St. Henry, two lived in Coldwater and one lived in Celina.
Cases are widespread throughout the county. According to the health district's online dashboard, Celina has the largest number of cases at 83, while Coldwater has 49; St. Henry, 39; Fort Recovery, 22; Maria Stein, 12; Rockford, six; Mendon, three; Chickasaw, three; and Burkettsville, one.
Mercer County has one of the highest rates of cases per capita in the state, based on the number of cases reported on Tuesday by the Ohio Department of Health.
With a population slightly higher than 41,000 according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Mercer County has a rate of 527.1 cases per 100,000 people. Only seven of Ohio's 88 counties have more cases per capita than Mercer. They are Lucas, 532.7; Monroe, 578.6; Mahoning, 636.7; Belmont, 653.7; Columbiana, 864.7; Pickaway, 3,578.7; and Marion, 4,108.
Outbreaks at the Cooper Farms processing plant in St. Henry and The Gardens at St. Henry have contributed to the high rate, said Jason Menchhofer, public health administrator for the health district.
Another possibility, he said, is more cases are being identified in the county as testing has become more readily available, though he could not confirm if that were accurate.
The number of new confirmed cases has dropped recently, according to the health district's online dashboard. Positive test results hit a high on May 6 when 17 tests were completed and again on May 10 as 18 tests were completed. By the week of May 24-30, 27 tests taken had detected the virus.
Menchhofer said he believes the county has seen a peak, but noted more peaks may come in the future.
"If there is going to be a spike in cases resulting from relaxing of the restrictions and people socializing more over the past couple of weekends, we will start to see it soon," he said.
The Auglaize County Health Department reported that its 69th confirmed case involves a 60-year-old woman who is self-isolating at home.
Department officials on Wednesday also reported eight probable cases, 11 hospitalizations, 51 people who have recovered and three deaths from COVID-19.
As of Wednesday evening, ODH has reported 36,792 confirmed and probable cases in the state, 6,251 hospitalizations and 2,299 confirmed and probable deaths.
