(Ohio) – Ohio officially has its first three cases of COVID-19 in Cuyahoga County.
Officials re now beginning to track contacts those three individuals have had in the past few weeks. One man, for example, reportedly attended a conference in Washington, D.C. this past weekend. The other two individuals are married to each other and had just returned from a trip to Egypt.
All three individuals are in their 50s. Six people known to have had close contact with the patients are now on home quarantine.
Governor Mike DeWine noted the importance to take aggressive action to protect Ohioans, and he signed an executive declaring a state of emergency in Ohio. Reports indicate he also partially activated the state of Emergency Operations Center.
Officials note the state is now able to test for the virus without having to send it off to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for results, so results of tests are available sooner.
A few precautions you can take include:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Anyone with questions on coronavirus is urged to call the ODH Coronavirus Hotline at 1-833-4ASKODH (427-5634).
