MONTGOMERY COUNTY — The Montgomery County Board of Health has passed unanimously a stay-at-home health advisory that will go into place Thursday through at least Dec. 17.
Health Commissioner Jeff Cooper said the advisory is not an order, but is providing the best public health guidance for the county.
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“The message just continues to be that the virus is spreading exponentially,” Cooper said.
The advisory urges Montgomery County residents to only leave home for school, work or essential trips like medical care.
The health department is urging all Montgomery County schools and universities to move to online remote learning after Thanksgiving. Businesses also are advised to have as many people work from home as possible.
The county also is asking people to limit holiday celebrations to only those in your immediate households and also advised against out-of-state travel.
Cooper said Montgomery County’s test positivity rate sits at 14.8 percent, which is above the state’s 7-day rolling average of 12.8 percent. In early October, Montgomery County had a 4.7 percent test positivity.
The county has gone from 108 cases per 100,000 residents in October to now 726 cases per 100,000 yesterday, Cooper added.
Montgomery County also was averaging 74 cases daily in early October to 358 cases on average daily this week.
The announcement comes as Franklin County, where Columbus is located, this morning issued a 28-day stay-at home advisory that will go into effect on Friday at 6 p.m.
Columbus Public Health Commissioner Dr. Mysheika Roberts issued the advisory along with Franklin County Public Health “due to the rapid rise of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the city and county," according to our affiliate 10TV.
Under the Franklin County order, people are asked to only leave home if they have to go to work, school or for essential needs.
The Butler County General Health District also sent guidance to county residents to stay home whenever possible, but did not issue an official advisory.
“We had been setting records the last two weeks with around 200-250 cases reported each day. However, over the weekend Butler County had over 900 cases reported from Friday to Sunday, with a new record of 376 cases in a single day,” Jordan Luttrell-Freeman, Epidemiologist said in a media release.
Cox Media Group
