Auglaize County reports 2 deaths

WAPAKONETA - Two deaths from COVID-19 were reported in Auglaize County on Tuesday, raising the county's total to 16.

Officials also reported 14 new confirmed cases, increasing the total to 1,026.

In Mercer County, seven new cases brought that county's total to 1,484.

The two deaths involved females from the age of 80-100, Auglaize County Health Department Public Information Officer Caitlin Decker said. Both deaths reportedly occurred several weeks ago, but reporting was delayed to verify death certificate information, confirming the cause of death was related to COVID-19.

Officials in the news release also reported 197 probable cases, 81 total hospitalizations and 801 people who have recovered. Of the total 1,223 confirmed and probable cases, 394 are active.

Cases have been reported in all areas of the county since the beginning of the pandemic. Wapakoneta has the highest cumulative number of cases with 411; St. Marks, 364; Minster, 188; New Bremen, 132; Cridersville, 51; Waynesfield, 42; New Knoxville, 23; Botkins, four; Spencerville, four; St. Johns, three; Uniopolis, three; New Hampshire, two; Lakeview area, two; Lima area, two; Buckland, one; and Mendon area, one.

Although Mercer County saw only seven new cases on Tuesday, the county's incidence rate of new cases per capita is at an all-time high. The Ohio Department of Health reported the county has had a rate of 476 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks, according to a Mercer County Health District news release.

Mercer County Health District Administrator Jason Menchhofer has said using per capita rates allows officials to compare the rates among different-sized jurisdictions.

The incidence rate is the number of new cases in a given time frame, and ODH and the Mercer County Health District base the rate of new cases per capita over the course of the past two weeks.

Studying the most recent two weeks provides a clearer picture of what is happening as opposed to using numbers compiled over the duration of the pandemic, Menchhofer has said.

October has had the highest number of cases reported since the beginning of the pandemic. This month, the county has had 355 cases. August previously held the record with 295 cases reported.

Officials also reported 169 probable cases, 1,287 people who have recovered, 105 pending tests, 4,201 negative test results, 13 hospitalizations, 27 deaths and two probable deaths from COVID-19, according to the release. Of the 1,484 cases, 164 are active.

Officials in the release also noted issues with the health district's Facebook page.

"Last Friday afternoon the MCHD Facebook page was unpublished," the release reads. "MCHD staff are looking into this, but currently do not know why the page was taken down or when it will be published again."

Until the Facebook page is available, daily updates will be provided on the front page of the health district's website at www.mchdohio.org.

The district will host a walk-in flu clinic from 9:30 a.m.-5:15 p.m. Tuesday. Anyone who is unable to attend the walk-in clinic can call 419-586-3251 to schedule an appointment to get a flu shot.

To make the process quicker, a link to the necessary forms is available on the front page of the district's website. Staff ask that forms be filled out prior to arriving at the clinic.

As of Tuesday evening, ODH reported 202,740 confirmed and probable cases in the state, 18,433 hospitalizations and 5,239 confirmed and probable deaths from COVID-19.