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    Coronavirus Update: Ramping Up Testing, Contact Tracing & More

    Keep up with regular news updates regarding Columbus and Ohio’s response to COVID-19 here.

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    The Numbers

    COVID-19 cases — As of Friday, April 24, 1,333 cases of COVID-19 and 30 deaths have been reported in Columbus and Worthington. In Franklin County, 1,837 confirmed and probable cases and 48 confirmed and probable deaths from COVID-19 have been reported.

    Statewide, 15,169 cases and 690 deaths are confirmed or probable.

    Another weekly report from Columbus Public Health was released. Here are a few takeaways:

    • Columbus and Franklin County saw a slowing in the number of newly reported cases from Saturday, April 18 to Wednesday, April 22. Case numbers for the last two days were not depicted.
    • The hardest-hit zip codes in both the number and rate of cases in Central Ohio are 43223, 43232 and 43201.
    • The 20 to 29 age range still reports the highest number of cases, followed closely behind are the 50 to 59 and 30 to 39 age ranges.

    Stepping Up Testing

    Governor Mike DeWine announced on Friday that ROE Dental, a dental laboratory in Independence, Ohio, will produce up to one million swabs to help create a robust ability to test across the state. This comes after an announcement earlier this week that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new reagent from Thermo Fisher Scientific. The combined efforts will help boost the state’s COVID-19 testing capability in just a matter of weeks.

    The governor gave specific numbers. Currently, the state is testing an average of 3,728 people per day. By May 27, that number is projected to increase to 22,000 per day.

    Governor DeWine also announced a contact tracing system local health departments will be using statewide in the coming weeks.

    The contact tracing begins after a patient has begun showing symptoms, contacted their healthcare provider, been approved for a test and tested positive for COVID-19. In addition to being told to isolate, a community health worker will interview the patient to see where the patient has been and who they have come into contact with from 48 hours before they began developing symptoms. 48 hours is the time in which someone with COVID-19 can shed the virus before realizing they had it.

    Depending on the length of time and closeness the other person had to the patient, that person may be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days, contacting their own healthcare provider if they begin to show symptoms.

    More Updates

    New Mental Health Care Line — Earlier this week, the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services announced the launch of a new COVID CareLine to provide confidential emotional and mental health support via a toll-free call service. Behavioral health professionals will staff the CareLine from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week, with calls outside of those hours forwarding to the National Suicide Prevention Helpline. More info here.

    Pro Tem Brown Gives Statement on Prisons — Columbus City Council President Pro Tem Elizabeth Brown has recently commented on the prevalence of COVID-19 in Ohio’s prisons as well as the scope of impact on those imprisoned.

    “It bears repeating that due to this country’s history of racist incarceration practices, the consequences of high infection rates inside Ohio’s jails, prisons, and ICE detention facilities will disproportionately harm African Americans, Latinx people, and immigrants,” said Brown. “We must do more to release as many people as possible, including all people detained on civil immigration charges, many of whom are our Columbus residents.”

    Library Testing Materials — The Columbus Metropolitan Library has partnered with Battelle to test a small collection of library items, in an effort lead by the Institute of Museum & Library Services. Battelle will test strains of COVID-19 on the library materials to assess the coronavirus’ longevity. Understanding the impact the COVID-19 has on these materials will help determine best practices for their handling moving forward.

    Ohio Housing Finance Agency — OHFA will provide an additional $4.75 million in emergency homelessness services, including Emergency Housing Assistance Funds to nine Continua of Care and funding to the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio. This is in addition to $5 million in emergency funding approved in March.

    For more information on COVID-19 in Ohio, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH.

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    Taijuan Moorman
    Taijuan Moormanhttps://columbusunderground.com
    Taijuan Moorman is a former reporter and social media specialist for Columbus Underground and The Metropreneur who covered civics, arts, entertainment, lifestyle, and business news and features.
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