Lake County General Health District has received confirmation of its first reported case of novel coronavirus or COVID-19. The individual is a female between the ages of 20 and 30 years of age. No further information will be released about the individual. This new case may not be represented in the Ohio Department of Health official case update at 2:00 p.m.

“While this is the first confirmed case of a Lake County resident, it is likely that COVID-19 is spreading in our community, and we expect the number of confirmed cases to grow. It is imperative that all businesses, organizations, and residents follow social distancing practices to the best of their abilities,” stated Ron H. Graham, Health Commissioner. “Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Health Director Dr. Amy Acton have taken unprecedented steps to curb the spread of illness, and while our way of life will change in the short-term, these steps are necessary to protect the most vulnerable in our community and save lives. We will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners as we respond to this ever-changing situation.”

The best prevention against COVID-19 and other infectious disease remains to:

Wash your hands often

Stay home when you’re not feeling well, or have a cough, fever, or other illness

Cover coughs and sneezes, and avoid touching your face

Disinfect frequently touched surfaces often

Practice social distancing. Maintain a six-foot radius between yourself and others.

If you are feeling ill, and have signs of fever or respiratory illness, please contact your healthcare provider first before going to any healthcare facility. Please also consider using telemedicine options that may be available to you.

Ohio Department of Health’s call center to answer general questions about COVID-19 can be reached at 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634), and is open from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Lake County General Health District will begin issuing bi-weekly Situation Reports that will also be available on the Lake County General Health District website (www.lcghd.org).

For more information on COVID-19, visit the websites of Lake County General Health District, Ohio Department of Public Health (www.coronavirus.ohio.gov), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov), and the World Health Organization (www.who.int).