By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Wood County stands at 38 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with an unknown number of untested people showing symptoms who are isolating at home. Three of the patients are in Wood County Hospital.
No deaths in the county have been attributed to the virus.
“We’ve been seeing a pretty steady increase in cases,” Wood County Health Commissioner Ben Batey said this morning during the weekly coronavirus conference call with elected officials in the county.
The county is averaging about four or five new confirmed cases a day.
“We’re still in the phase of holding – potentially preparing for a surge of patients,” Batey said. Wood County Hospital still has plenty of capacity, he added.
Nationally, the peak in cases is expected to hit in the next two weeks. And New York City, which recently saw a big spike, is starting to plateau.
But Batey warned that Wood County’s peak is likely to hit later – possibly in May.
“It may take us a little bit longer,” he said.
“We’re truly just holding at this point. We’re preparing for that surge in patients. Maybe that surge never comes,” he said.
The social distancing seems to be working in Ohio, according to Batey.
“It’s been very manageable. We don’t want to see a big spike all at once,” he said.
But that distancing must continue, since people who have complied with stay-at-home orders will have no immunity.
“That’s going to be the tricky part,” he said.
Currently, people who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 are advised to quarantine at home for 14 days. Anyone with the symptoms of a fever, dry cough and shortness of breath is asked to stay home for at least seven days from when the symptoms began – and stay there at least three days after all symptoms have subsided.
“Basically, you’re feeling fine for three days before you go back to work,” Batey said.
“In a perfect world,” people recovering from COVID-19 would be retested prior to returning to work.
“We realize we don’t have that capability – and we can’t keep people from work forever,” he said.
Wood County Commissioner Ted Bowlus warned of the danger of people not following social distancing.
“Don’t get apathetic about social distancing,” he said. “We have to warn our people to continue these things.”
Wood County Emergency Management Agency Director Jeff Klein talked about the recent donation of personal protective equipment from Home Depot and from the Big Fab Lab in Bowling Green. The EMA office is tracking donations and the needs for PPE throughout the county.
“We want to make sure in three to four weeks we don’t run out of stuff,” Klein said.
Talks are underway with Bowling Green State University about using a campus location as an alternative health care facility, he said. Nothing has been formalized, but the National Guard is working to set up overflows for hospitals, if needed.
Also on the conference call, State Rep. Haraz Ghanbari, R-Perrysburg, shared concerns about the number of people showing up for the walleye fishing season in the Maumee River near Perrysburg. The cities of Maumee and Fremont have shut down fishing from their shores.
Ghanbari said there is a large influx of anglers east of Buttonwood Park, in Perrysburg Township. That includes several out-of-state people, with many from Michigan judging by their license plates, he said. That raises concerns since Michigan has a COVID-19 rate four times that of Ohio, Ghanbari said.
Also during the call, the Grand Rapids mayor said some of his village residents have expressed concerns about all the people taking drives to the community that sits on the Maumee River. “People here are worried,” he said.
Another elected official asked if the county EMA office is in need of financial contributions.
Klein suggested that monetary donations be sent to the United Way and American Red Cross.
“They have a much better picture of people in need,” he said.
