Fayette County Public Health and Fayette County Emergency Management Agency have confirmed the county’s first case of COVID-19 Coronavirus.
The 22-year-old patient is currently is self-quarantining at home with daily oversight from FCPH. Proper follow-up has been done with close contacts.
Leigh Cannon, Deputy Health Commissioner of FCPH says that while it is not possible to know how many persons have been tested, it is no surprise the virus has made its way to Fayette County. “We have been running tests as they meet the guidelines, but if a resident gets tested out of county, we would not know it,” explains Cannon. “This appears to be a case of community spread and it is likely there are others with mild symptoms who simply don’t know they have it.”
Cannon points out that, per state guidelines, only those patients whose symptoms are severe enough to require hospitalization and healthcare workers providing care for the ill are being tested at this point.
Both FCPH and FCEMA want to reinforce to the public the importance of exercising safety measures such as proper hand washing, social distancing and observing the Ohio Department of Health’s order to stay at home.