Second virus-related death reported in Carroll County

The Carroll County General Health District wants to work with people and businesses as the county re-opens over the next few weeks, according to Health Commissioner Wendy Gotschall.
Gotschall presented the weekly update to county commissioners May 15, which included notification of a second COVID-19 death in the county. Up to that point, Director of Nursing Kelly Engelhart and Office Administrator Amy Campbell presented weekly updates.
“We want to work with businesses so they can be compliant with new orders as they come out,” Gotschall said via telephone. “We want to be collaborative and work with people.”
She noted business and churches are asking the department for assistance with plans to reopen.

“We encourage people to be creative and work together. We are not of the mindset to have a heavy hand. The community has been good in following the orders. We continue to follow up on call about businesses not following orders. We want to help people be compliant.”
Ohio Department of Health statistics show 25 cases (confirmed and probable) in the county as of May 17 at 2 p.m., which included the second death. According to the chart, a man between the ages of 60 and 69 died May 8. Symptoms began April 3 and the man was admitted to the hospital the same day. The victim is listed as an Augusta Twp. resident.
Gotschall noted 19 residents have recovered and six remained hospitalized as of May 15.
The health district received $35,000 to conduct contact monitoring. Contact monitoring includes monitoring persons with confirmed cases for symptoms and notifying people they were in contact with.
“This is nothing new,” Gotschall said. “Anytime you have a class A disease (ie sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, etc.) in the county, we do contact monitoring. COVID-19 is a largest scale monitoring program we have dealt with.”
Discussing personal protective equipment (PPE), Gotschall said the department is working with Emergency Management Agency Director Tom Cottis to get PPE out to those who need it.
The health district is also with working with Mercy Medical Center in Canton and the Carrollton stat care location to collect COVID-19 test sample when additional kits are available.
The county has received 150 test kits so far, which are being used by the priority groups – long term care facility residents and employees and emergency responders.
As of May 17, Harrison County had nine COVID-19 cases, two hospitalizations and no deaths; Columbiana County, 420 cases, 125 hospitalizations and 43 deaths; Tuscarawas County, 264 cases, 25 hospitalizations and two deaths; Jefferson County, 61 cases, 16 hospitalizations and two deaths; and Stark County, 558 cases, 129 hospitalizations and 74 deaths.