Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Madison County Public Health (MCPH) is working on Coronavirus (COVID-19) response every single day.  You should monitor state and local news but rely on MCPH for reliable information on COVID-19 right here in Madison County.  Information and guidance for COVID-19 changes daily.  We are now providing modified office services to the public. For details, please click here.

 Updated Friday, July 31, 2020 at 2:00pm EST

288  25 313 32 10
 Confirmed
Cases
in 
Madison County
Probable
Cases

in Madison County 
Total
Cases
in Madison County
Hospitalizations
Deaths

*Totals include 57 cases who are currently inmates and 2 cases who are residents in a long-term care facility. Totals also include 2 inmates who died from COVID-19. Extended data can be found at coronavirus.ohio.gov.

42  1 93
Median Age of Cases
in 
Madison County
Age of Youngest Case
in Madison County 
Age of Oldest Case
in Madison County

        *On occasion you may find a difference between the numbers reported on the state website and our
        website.  Cases are continuously reported by labs and doctors.  These numbers are a snapshot in time. 
        Our team is working hard to properly and thoroughly investigate cases and report accurate information.

         Click on the image to view a graph of cases over time for Madison County:   chart

         Current Public Health Emergency level in Madison County:  L2 Orange

*The Ohio Public Health Advisory Alert System is a color-coded approach to inform Ohioans about their current risk associated with COVID-19 where they live and travel. The system is built on 7 data indicators to assess COVID-19 and provide evidence-based actions that residents can take to protect themselves and their communities based on the level of risk.
       
  • Responsible Restart Ohio plans have been announced by Governor DeWine. Ohio will reopen slowly to prevent spikes of COVID-19 cases. Some business sectors have a specific date they are allowed to open, but only if they are able to follow certain health and safety protocols. This includes required face coverings for employees, health screenings, good hygeine, sanitizing workspaces, and limiting capacity for social distancing. Employees that can work remotely should continue to do so. Other sectors, such as arenas and senior centers, are not allowed to reopen at this time. To view the details, click here. The full orders can also be read by following the State Orders link at the bottom of this page. If you have questions or a complaint about a business in regards to these orders, please submit them online at restartohio.madisonph.org
  • Event & Reopening Plan Submissions are being reviewed in a timely manner.  To help us review these requests, we have created guidance on what we need to be included in the plans. To view the guidance, click here. Plans must address all of the areas outlined and can be submitted at covidplans.madisonph.org or emailed to Erin Fawley, Director of Community Health & Accreditation, at efawley@madisonpublichealth.org. To view current entertainment allowances and restictions, click here.
  • Madison County School Guidelines for the 2020-2021 Year are finalized and now available.  Given what we know about how COVID-19 moves through indoor congregate settings, school environments pose a significant risk of outbreaks and rapid spread through students and staff.  Starting the school year with completely remote instruction is the most ideal option from a purely physical health and prevention standpoint.  However, we know this is not a tenable option.  Madison County Public Health designed the COVID-19 Protective Actions & Focus Areas for Madison County K-12 Schools.  This builds on the best parts of state guidance and incorporates additional protective actions that will give our schools the best opportunity to stay open during this continuing pandemic.  You can read all of the guidelines by clicking here.
  • Protective Factors and Risk Reduction for COVID-19 is a document that has been written by MCPH to help guide event and activity planners.  Protective factors are individual or environmental conditions or behaviors that reduce risk.  Regardless of how you personally view COVID-19 risk, during this phase of the pandemic you should layer as many protective factors as possible.  Layering multiple protective factors reduces the risk of COVID-19 spreading in our community which helps make future lockdowns less likely.  Click or tap here to read this document.
  • The Ohioans Protecting Ohioans Urgent Health Advisory is strongly encouraging people to stay home as much as possible. Gatherings of more than 10 people in a single group are still prohibited. Everyone is strongly encouraged to wear face coverings and practice social distancing when out in public. Elderly people and other vulnerable populations should take additional precautions. The full advisory can be read by following the State Orders link at the bottom of this page.
  • Confirmed cases have been verified by a lab test. To be a probable case, a person must either 1) have specific symptoms AND have a direct exposure to a confirmed case, or 2) have specific symptoms AND a positive antibody test.  If a probable case then gets a COVID-19 test and tests positive, they are removed from the probable total and added to the confirmed total. If they test negative, they are subtracted from the probable total. Public health nurses are notifying and quarantining close contacts of all confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases. If you have not been contacted by health department staff,  you are not considered to have come in close contact with these individuals.
  • There is no standardized definition of a recovered case of COVID-19 across the healthcare profession; this is why recovered cases are often not reported. It is not known if people who were sick once with COVID-19 can get sick again or if they will build immunity to the virus. It is also unknown exactly how long a person can spread the virus to others after they begin feeling better. The virus affects everyone differently, including length of illness and symptoms. COVID-19 is being studied every day to help health experts worldwide to answer these important questions.
  • Wear a facial covering in public. It's the right thing to do. The CDC has estimated that as many as 35% of people with COVID-19 may be asymptomatic. These carriers can still spread the virus and you could be one of them. A facial covering won’t protect you from getting sick, but it WILL help prevent you from potentially spreading the virus to others. Facial coverings help keep respiratory droplets in, not out. Research out of Cincinnati helps explain how effective these masks can be. Continue social distancing and frequent handwashing to protect yourself. Do not place a face covering on children under 2 years old, people who have trouble breathing, or those who cannot remove it themselves. Remember: surgical and N95 masks are for healthcare workers. For more information on facial coverings and resources for making them at home, please click here.
  • Know what to do if you feel sick. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Other related symptoms include headache, body aches, chills, fatigue, diarrhea, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, new loss of taste or smell, and nausea or vomiting If you are experiencing symptoms you should call your regular healthcare provider to be evaluated. Do not go out in public other than to receive medical care. If you do not have a healthcare provider, you should call Madison Health at 740-845-7400. Your healthcare provider may decide over the phone if an in-person assessment or testing is needed. Emergency rooms should only be used for immediate life-threatening conditions. If you have difficulty breathing or chest pains, call 911 or seek emergency care.
    • Stay home for 10 days if you show any of the symptoms listed above. If symptoms last longer than 10 days, stay home until your symptoms have improved and you've gone at least 3 days with no fever.
 
  • Testing is available in Madison County. All testing locations require an appointment. If your doctor submits an order for you to be tested, you will receive instructions from the doctor about where to go for testing.  If you do not have a doctor's order and would like to be tested, you can call Madison Health Urgent Care at 740-845-6735 or Rocking Horse Community Health Center at 740-845-7286 for further instructions. Madison County Public Health does not provide testing.
  • Don’t panic. We know this is an overwhelming time for many. Take care of your mental health. Only use trusted sources of information such as the CDC, ODH, and MCPH. Enjoy the weather; outdoor activities pose a lower risk of spreading COVID-19 than confined indoor spaces. The Ohio Department of Health has opened a confidential, tollfree COVID CareLine at 1-800-720-9616. You can use this to talk with a licensed mental health professional from 8am to 8pm, 7 days/week. You may also call the Disaster Distress Hotline at 1-800-985-5990 if you are concerned about your mental healthWe are all in this together!
  • Those entering Ohio after travel to states reporting positivity rates of 15% or higher are advised to self-quarantine for 14 days. This Travel Advisory was issued by ODH on July 22nd and a list of the affected states are updated here every Wednesday. While travel to other states is allowed, it is not encouraged. Note that some states may ask visitors to self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival. Many travel bans are in effect throughout the world and the latest advisories can be found at travel.state.gov and cdc.gov/travel.
  • Donate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). We are working daily with Madison County EMA to coordinate PPE availability in the county. If you have extra PPE, please donate it to our healthcare workers who are fighting the pandemic on the front lines. We need you.
    1. Madison County needs: Surgical masks (ear-loop or ties), N95 masks, Latex gloves, Protective clothing gowns, goggles/face shields, and homemade masks.
    2. To donate: Call Madison County EMA at (740) 852-4200, Monday through Friday, 8am to 4pm.