×

UPDATE: St. Joseph COVID-19 patient confirmed as fifth Ohio case

WARREN — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has confirmed a Trumbull County man is the fifth patient to test positive for novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

The confirmation came Thursday after Ohio Department of Health officials were working to confirm reports that St. Joseph Warren Hospital had cared for a patient who had tested positive for the contagious virus.

DeWine led off his news conference Thursday afternoon by talking about a 55-year-old man who has the coronavirus in Trumbull County.

The governor called the person with the virus a “55-year-old male in Trumbull County … who has no travel history outside the state of Ohio. He has been hospitalized.

“Fortunately he did not go to work when he felt these symptoms. He felt sick,” the governor said.

His family also has been quarantined, the governor’s office said.

Hospital officials are not releasing any information about the patient because of privacy concerns.

With the hospital’s brief announcement at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Ohio has five confirmed cases of people with the virus — three identified in Cuyahoga County, one in Stark County and one in Trumbull County.

DeWine on Wednesday announced the fourth case of the virus identified in Ohio: A 53-year-old man in Stark County being treated at Mercy Health Medical Center. St. Joseph Warren Hospital also is a Mercy Health facility.

The Stark County patient has been identified as the first community-spread victim. Community spread means people who contracted the virus without going to a place where the virus has been identified.

“This was not unexpected,” DeWine said.

St. Joe’s is expected to enact new visitor protocols as a result, as well as alternative care sites, according to Jonathan Fauvie, hospital spokesman.

“We follow safety protocols each and every time we care for a patient. In this instance, we followed guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and the Ohio Department of Health to minimize exposure to other patients and our associates,” he said in a statement. “We followed CDC cleaning protocols, and St. Joseph Warren Hospital remains a safe place to seek care.”

Robert Pinti, Warren deputy health commissioner, said epidemiology that is required on the patient is being conducted. The patient would have been questioned to determine if he or she had come into contact with anyone else, Pinti said.

He said he had no details on the patient being treated at St. Joe’s.

“Residents should follow procedures you’ve seen on local television news and in newspaper reports,” Pinti said. “Thorough and frequent handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, social distancing, staying home when you feel ill, etc.”

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
     

Starting at $4.85/week.

Subscribe Today