The Lawrence County Health Department is reporting the first positive case of coronavirus (COVID-19) in a Lawrence County resident.

March 25, 2020 Ironton, OH – The Lawrence County Health Department is reporting the first positive case of coronavirus (COVID-19) in a Lawrence County resident.

The patient has not been hospitalized, has not had any recent travel history, and has had no known exposure to a confirmed case. Georgia Dillon, APRN, CNP, Health Commissioner emphasizes, “we will not be releasing any additional demographic information related to this case. We want to protect the privacy of the individual during this time of illness, and we will contact anyone who needs to know and/or take action”.

“Following protocol set by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), our nursing staff has been in contact with the individual since we were notified of the positive test result,” said Ms. Dillon. “We are working to identify any contacts and will advise those individuals to self- quarantine for 14 days”.

“We have been preparing for this for several weeks, and we have been working closely with the Ohio Department of Health, our County Emergency Management Agency, Lawrence County Commissioners, Lawrence County Sheriff, medical providers, emergency responders, and other community partners to make sure we have all the resources we need”, Ms. Dillon said.

COVID-19 is spread primarily through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing. The symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. To prevent the spread, people should follow the Director’s Stay-at-Home order, in which all Ohioans are ordered to remain in their residence except as allowed by the order. This can be found at coronavirus.ohio.gov. In addition:

• Stay at home if you are sick
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Cover your cough or sneeze
• Wash your hands with soap and water frequently
• Practice social distancing, keeping six feet away from people when in public places
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces

  “If you are sick, you should call your doctor”, said Ms. Dillon. “Your doctor can rule out other illnesses and determine if a patient needs to be tested for COVID-19 or not”.

  For more information, please visit coronavirus.ohio.gov. Additionally, you may call 1-833-4- ASK-ODH, open 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. The call center is open 7 days a week. The Ohio Department of Health reports the statewide numbers on their website every day at 2 p.m.