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Athens Co. Downgraded To Level 2 Public Emergency, Confirms Two New COVID-19 Cases And Removes One For May 6

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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — Athens County is now at a Level 2 Public Health Emergency, according to the Ohio Public Health Advisory System, for the first time since November of last year.

The county dropped below the 100 new cases per 100,000 people threshold Thursday in order to be downgraded. It also only met two of the state’s seven indicators: new cases per capita and non-congregate cases.

Most counties in southeast Ohio are now listed at a Level 2 or lower, according to Thursday’s map.

The Ohio Public Health Advisory System map for May 6, 2021 featuring Athens County data
The Ohio Public Health Advisory System map for May 6, 2021 featuring Athens County data. [ODH]
Athens County has now had 5,182 total cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic after two were reported Thursday.

The Ohio Department of Health confirmed the new cases on May 6, 2021.

Analysis of ODH data indicates the new cases involved a person 30-39 and a person 70-79. A previously confirmed case in the 20-29 range was removed from the data.

An additional case involving a person in their 70s required hospitalization. According to the data, 200 people in Athens County have been hospitalized due to complications related to this coronavirus since the start of the pandemic.

There are 93 known active cases in the county as of Thursday and 5,089 recovered cases, according to the Athens City-County Health Department.

A total of 37.22% of the county has started the vaccination process, according to ODH.

Anyone experiencing respiratory symptoms is asked to call their primary care physician, urgent care, or emergency department before arriving for care to let them know that they believe they are experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19 virus.

An age breakdown of Athens Co. COVID-19 cases for May 6, 2021.
An age breakdown of Athens Co. COVID-19 cases for May 6, 2021. [ODH]
Thursday at 2 p.m., the Ohio Department of Health announced 1,080,121 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 statewide after 1,387 cases were reported in the last 24 hours. There have been 57,118 hospitalizations since the start of the pandemic.

ODH makes the following recommendations to protect yourself from illness:

  • Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; dry hands with a clean towel or air dry hands.
  • Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water are unavailable.
  • Cover your mouth with a tissue or sleeve when sneezing or coughing. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Avoid contact with people who are sick.

Ohio’s coronavirus call center is open to answer questions from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. The hotline number is 1-833-4-ASK-ODH or 1-833-427-5634. More information is available at coronavirus.ohio.gov.

Statewide coronavirus numbers for May 6, 2021
[ODH]