Ionia County Presumed to Have Active Cases but None Confirmed

In a Facebook post from the Ionia County Health Department on Saturday at 8:14 AM, the office said, “At this point, most local healthcare providers are only testing those who are very ill. We can continue to provide updates on numbers, but their meaning will be limited. We are assuming that we have cases in Ionia County, even if none have been reported to us yet.”

The posting also said, “As a precaution, ICHD is asking anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 to self-isolate for 14 days to avoid potentially exposing others. COVID-19 symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure to the virus. Symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath.”

The posting also included the following information.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, people should:

· Wash their hands.

· Stay home when sick.

· Avoid close contact with sick people.

· Avoid touching their face.

· Disinfect commonly touched surfaces.

· Avoid shaking hands.

· Follow suggested guidelines for social distancing.

For social distancing, we recommend the following:

· Keep six feet between yourself and others when possible.

· Avoid public places at their busiest times.

· Work from home when possible.

· Cancel gatherings of more than 50 people as required by Michigan law. However, it is recommended gatherings not exceed 10 people.

· Limit travel.

People who are concerned that they may have COVID-19 should contact their healthcare provider and call ahead before visiting any healthcare facility. Mildly ill people are encouraged to stay home and contact their healthcare provider by phone for guidance. If you feel well, you do not need to be tested. Testing is determined based on risk assessment.

Information about the COVID-19 situation locally, and in Michigan is rapidly changing. For more information, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html, https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus, and our webpage.

Image from https://ioniacounty.org/

As of 2:00 PM on March 21st, the state of Michigan is reporting the following cumulative number of confirmed cases and deaths by county.