(Dover, Ohio) – As of Thursday evening, there are no confirmed COVID-19 cases in Tuscarawas County.

Officials with the Tuscarawas County Health Department and the New Philadelphia Health Department released information Thursday evening indicating there are currently 5 confirmed cases in the State of Ohio – 3 cases in Cuyahoga County, 1 case in Stark County, and 1 case in Trumbull County. 52 Ohioans are currently under investigation and awaiting test results.

Officials are asking for the community to be patient and understanding as they work diligently to uncover new information and keep the public informed. However, they note that to comply with patient privacy law, they do not routinely share suspected case information until it is confirmed. “When and if Tuscarawas County has a confirmed case, we will update the community directly,” according to communication the agencies released Thursday.

We are also posting numerous updates to the Tuscarawas County Health Department Facebook page, and we encourage you to visit that page for additional information.

We are committed to getting information out to you in a timely manner, and we are working hard to protect you and those you love from the spread of disease. Thank you for your help to continue to practice good hand-washing habits.

In Good Health,

The Tuscarawas County Health Department & New Philadelphia City Health Department

Below are some tips from today’s Facebook page posts:

• According to Governor DeWine, beginning on Tuesday, March 17th, schools will be closed for a period of at least three weeks. Some school districts may choose to close before the end of Monday. When in doubt, check with your local school district for more information.
• Governor DeWine will also be issuing guidance about avoiding large gatherings of 100 or more people (religious gatherings and a select group of other gatherings will be exempt). Once the details are released from the State, we will share the information on our Facebook page.
• Older adults and those who have serious chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease, are at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19. If you are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 because of your age or because you have a serious long-term health problem, it is extra important for you to take actions to reduce your risk of getting sick with the disease. For information on what you should do if you are at higher risk of getting very sick visit https://www.cdc.gov/…/specific…/high-risk-complications.html
• There have been many questions about COVID-19 tests. Testing is not available at the Tuscarawas County Health Department or the New Philadelphia City Health Department. Specimens can be collected for testing at our local hospitals, urgent care facilities, and possibly through your primary care provider. If you feel that you may need tested, please call your medical care provider to let him/her know your symptoms. If you are feeling mildly sick and are otherwise relatively healthy, please stay home