A sharp rise in cases of COVID-19 has caught the attention of local health officials.
According to a press release from Knox Public Health (KPH), more than 100 new cases are active among county residents, including two outbreaks.
“Almost all of the individuals testing positive have not been vaccinated,” the release said.
But the numbers may not tell the whole story, officials cautioned. The true rate of infection may be underreported for a variety of reasons.
“Some people don’t want to be tested because if they know they have COVID-19, they might have to miss work or won’t be able to attend a social event,” said KPH Director of Nursing Lisa Dudgeon, R.N.
However, reticence can easily backfire: “If people are positive and continue to be in close contact with family members and co-workers, they run the risk of passing the virus on to others,” she said.
Sources of the spike
An outdoor wedding with 200 guests is thought to be one of the culprits. Many guests at this event were not from Knox County. In addition, an area business has nine positive cases, initially spread because after the spouse of one employee tested positive, that employee continued to work and eventually tested positive. None of the nine positives had been vaccinated.
Positive cases should quarantine for about 10 days, the release urged. Anyone who is a close contact of a positive case should quarantine for 14 days to monitor for symptoms and avoid transmission to others in case they become positive.
As long as it is job-related and considered a necessity, an employer can legally require employees to receive the vaccine, KPH said. Asking to see an employee’s vaccine card is not a HIPAA violation.
Officials say 115 people – 94% of the positive cases tracked since the beginning of July – were unvaccinated. Five of those cases required hospitalization, with some in intensive care. The remaining 6% of cases involved people who were fully vaccinated. Only two of the fully vaccinated cases (both in their 80s) were hospitalized; neither required the ICU.
Some businesses can require masks
It’s unclear if the delta variant is present in Knox County due to limited sequence-testing, which identifies specific strains of the virus, according to Dudgeon.
“Considering the increased reporting of variants throughout Ohio, it’s possible that some of the recent increase in Knox County cases is the result of the delta variant, but there’s no definite confirmation – at least not yet,” she said.
Gov. Mike DeWine has not renewed the statewide mask mandate that expired for vaccinated individuals in May; however, in a July 1 statement, he agreed with Dayton officials who re-instated their masking rules after a local outbreak.
"Wearing a mask will allow us to help keep businesses open and help prevent further spikes," DeWine said in a news release. "I encourage other communities to consider following Dayton's lead.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that even fully vaccinated people wear masks in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission.
The CDC labeled the level of community transmission in Knox County as “substantial” based on a 186% increase in positive cases for the week of July 26 to Aug. 1, compared to the previous week.
Businesses, including restaurants and retail locations, are allowed to request or require patrons to wear a facial covering, KPH Deputy Health Commissioner Zach Green said.
“If you are in an indoor location and unable to social distance from your group, i.e. your family or friends or co-workers – regardless if you have been vaccinated – we recommend wearing a facial covering,” Green said.
Being vaccinated is still recommended as one of the best ways to avoid getting COVID-19.
“Even if you are vaccinated and you get COVID-19, the symptoms are far less severe and your chances of being hospitalized are much lower,” Dudgeon said.
According to the Ohio Hospital Association, 22,891 Knox County residents – or 43% of the eligible population – have received at least the one dose of vaccine. Of the total number receiving COVID-19 vaccine, 21,781 are fully vaccinated (41%), meaning they have received both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the one-dose Johnson & Johnson. The eligible population includes anyone 12 years of age and older.
COVID-19 vaccine continues to be available at several locations, including KPH and most pharmacies. To make an appointment at KPH, call 740-399-8008. For other vaccine locations, check the COVID page at knoxhealth.com.
