Washington County COVID-19 Update

MARIETTA, OH — The Marietta/Belpre Health Department and Washington County Health Department share the latest information on COVID-19.

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Washington County has 6,006 COVID-19 cases, 226 hospitalizations, (not including an additional 27 hospitalizations that were reported without a date of admission), and 111 deaths to date. Several lives were lost in the past two weeks; as a reminder, deaths are not reported on the dashboard until verified mortality data is reported via the Electronic Death Registration System. The Marietta/Belpre Health Department and Washington County Health Department are currently monitoring 479 active cases through a contract with Public Consulting Group. Due to the recent surge, variety of tests available, and delays in reporting, we believe active cases may be vastly underreported. Washington County is ranked as the 44th county for the highest case rates in Ohio at 559.2 cases per 100,000 in the last two weeks. Washington County's COVID-19 PCR test positivity rate is 15.4%. Washington County currently has a “high transmission” rate of COVID-19.

The CDC recommends that all people, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission. While this is not a mandate, our local health departments respectfully request that you honor an organization’s choice to require masks as they work to determine what is best for community, students, customers and staff.

According to the Ohio Department of Health Vaccination Dashboard, 45.89% of Washington County residents and 52.22% of Ohioans received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 42.47% of Washington County residents and 48.24% of Ohioans received all CDC recommended doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Vaccination is the best tool we have to protect you and the public against COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccines continue to protect most people against severe illness, hospitalizations, and death. COVID-19 vaccines are widely available, several local sites are offering walk-ins in addition to appointments. Everyone 12 years of age and older is eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccination.

If a representative of the health department calls you, answer the call to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Isolate or quarantine based on recommendations.

• An infected person can spread COVID-19 starting 2 days before that person has any symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19.
• Watch for fever, cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19. Remember, symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to COVID-19.

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