The Putnam County Health Department was notified today, April 23, 2020, of a large number of lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 related to the previously reported outbreak at the Meadows of Leipsic. According to Kim Rieman, Health Commissioner at the Putnam County Health Department, “With additional cases reported, the Putnam County Health Department and the Meadows of Leipsic continue to work together to conduct contact tracing and alert those who may be at increased risk.” She added, “There will be a significant increase in the cases reported on the daily updates provided by the Ohio Department of Health and the Putnam County Health Department. A large majority of these are related to the outbreak in the long-term care facility.” Putnam County is now reporting 47 cases and 3 deaths tied to COVID-19.
Since the initial outbreak was identified, the Meadows of Leipsic has continued to test residents and staff members who exhibit symptoms of COVID-19. This is done to determine the extent of the outbreak in the facility. Mrs. Rieman added, “We anticipate that our numbers may continue to grow as testing increases. Testing is more available, not only in long-term care facilities, but in the community in general.”
Long-term care facilities are at a higher risk of outbreaks because of the close proximity of the residents and staff, as well as the underlying health conditions that many of the residents may have. “There is no way of knowing exactly how the illness was first introduced at the facility. While visitors are not permitted, there are still people who provide care, deliveries and other services that do enter the building. And, as we have been reporting since the beginning of the outbreak, there is an understanding that a person may not have symptoms, but may still be contagious,” stated Kim Rieman, Health Commissioner of the Putnam County Health Department. “This very sad situation just emphasizes the importance of continuing to practice the preventive measures such as social distancing, handwashing and wearing face coverings or masks.”
The Putnam County Health Department continues to work with the Meadows of Leipsic staff during the investigation of this outbreak. The Ohio Department of Health is also providing a strike team, made up of public health professionals, to assist with the investigation and to offer recommendations to prevent further outbreaks.
The Ohio Department of Health is now providing weekly updates of cases of COVID-19 related to long-term care facilities. This is updated each Wednesday afternoon, with data that is provided by the facility or the health department the Tuesday before. For this data, please see https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/dashboards/long-term-care-facilities.
The current information does not reflect the new confirmed cases. All residents are advised to continue to with measures to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in the community. It is also important to monitor for symptoms and call a healthcare provider if you begin to show signs or symptoms of the disease. Additional information can be found at www.coronavirus.ohio.gov or www.putnamhealth.com
