CELINA- As of September 15, 2021, the Mercer County Health District (MCHD) reports 4,608 confirmed cases, 890 probable cases, 4,311 recovered cases, six hospitalizations, 90 COVID-19 deaths, and 19 probable deaths of COVID-19. In addition, there have been 50 confirmed cases who have passed away due to causes other than COVID-19. Today, there are 154 known active cases of COVID-19 in Mercer County. Out of the cumulative total of confirmed cases, there has been a total of 42 reinfections of COVID-19. All of the currently hospitalized individuals are unvaccinated.
There have been 30 confirmed and 12 probable cases of COVID-19 among fully vaccinated Mercer County residents. Of those individuals, four were hospitalized and have since recovered. Two have passed away.
The transmission rate of COVID-19 in Mercer County continues to be high. A high transmission rate is defined as 100 or more new cases per 100,000 people in a 7-day period or a test positivity rate of 10% or higher. Mercer County has seen 361 cases per 100,000 people in the past seven days and has a test positivity rate of 20.29%. This data can be found here: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view.
The MCHD is reporting 112 new confirmed cases since last week’s report. We continue to see a surge in cases, especially among the younger population. Of the 112 new confirmed cases, 65% of those individuals are 40 years of age and younger.
Due to the continued increase in COVID-19 cases, there has been a delay in interviews, many of which are conducted by a third-party firm outside of MCHD. If you have tested positive for COVID-19, please do not ignore phone calls from the 216 area code. This is likely someone calling to complete a brief interview and offer isolation/quarantine letters for yourself and your close contacts. If you have not received a call and need an isolation or quarantine letter for your employer or school, please contact the MCHD office at 419-586-3251, extension 1454.
Individuals are now able to use an at-home rapid COVID-19 self-test kit. These self-test kits are available for purchase at some pharmacies or retail stores. Last week, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) announced that individuals can get an at-home rapid COVID-19 test at many local libraries around the state. To find available tests, please visit https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/dashboards/other-resources/testing-ch-centers. Please keep in mind that the demand for testing is very high, so please call ahead to make sure a test is available. If individuals use an at-home test kit, they are instructed to communicate the results to their primary care physician. In addition, the primary care physician must report a positive test result to the local health department. If you do not have a primary care physician, please report your positive test result to the MCHD.
The MCHD urges Mercer County residents to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in our county. To help prevent infection with COVID-19, take the precautions you normally would during cold and flu season:
- Frequently wash your hands for 20 seconds or more with soapy water. If unavailable, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home while you are sick (except to visit a health care professional) and avoid close contact with others.
- Cover your mouth/nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing.
- Get adequate sleep and eat well-balanced meals to ensure a healthy immune system.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Avoid crowded indoor places to help reduce the spread of the virus.
- Wear a mask when in indoor public locations to protect yourself and others.
- Consider getting vaccinated against COVID-19 if you are eligible.
The MCHD offers the COVID-19 vaccine every Friday at the MCHD office. Please call 419-586-3251 extension 1462 to ask questions or schedule an appointment.
Month | Number of Confirmed Cases |
March (First case on 3/24) | 5 cases |
April | 19 cases |
May | 190 cases |
June | 56 cases |
July | 239 cases |
August | 295 cases |
September | 284 cases |
October | 545 cases |
November | 1,116 cases |
December | 635 cases |
January 2021 | 388 cases |
February 2021 | 120 cases |
March 2021 | 52 cases |
April 2021 | 113 cases |
May 2021 | 64 cases |
June 2021 | 14 cases |
July 2021 | 34 cases |
August 2021 | 246 cases |
September – current | 193 cases |