COVID-19 cases spike in Young County

Olney Hamilton Hospital has seen a spike in positive COVID-19 tests and hospitalizations, mirroring a national uptick in cases caused by the now-dominant and highly transmissible BA.5 variant, local health officials said.

OHH reported a rising trend of positive tests but no hospitalizations or deaths since at least April, hospital officials said.

“We are having a spike this month of July,”said OHH Chief Operating Officer Stasha Siegert.

In April, OHH performed 40 tests and had two positive results; in May, 51 tests and 4 positives; in June, 100 tests and 28 positives; July 1-18, 76 tests and 32 positives, Ms. Siegert said.

“It is trending up,” she said.

Young County reported 29 total cases between July 10-July 17, an increase of 81 percent, the Centers for Disease Control website said. There were no reported COVID-19 deaths in Young County during that period, the CDC said.

However, the county still shows a low level of infection, with 49.97 cases per 100,000 people and just 9.6 new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control website. Only 3.7 percent of inpatient beds were being used by patients with confirmed COVID-19, the CDC said.

Based on the low infection rate, the CDC recommended that county residents stay up to day with COVID-19 vaccines; get tested and wear a mask if symptoms appear or you are exposed to someone with COVID-19. The CDC also recommended wearing a mask on public transportation.