TOLEDO, Ohio — COVID-19 cases in our community and across the state continue to rise, according to numbers released from the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department.
Leaders there want to remind you that now is not the time to let your guard down when it comes to the virus. They say trends are pointing to another wave of COVID-19 in our community.
"We have really been dealing with an immense amount of COVID-19 issues over the last two weeks. We continue to see our cases rise, you hear the governor. We're in the "red" category again," Health Commissioner Eric Zgodzinski said.
Thursday's briefing by the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department on the coronavirus in the county is the first one held since September.
Commissioner Zgodzinski details how the increases seen in the community are significant and that it needs to be taken seriously.
He says we were able to reduce the previous spikes by buckling down and following the steps health officials have recommended to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
"As we're seeing these numbers go up and we don't like the trajectory that we're going, it's even more important to continue to reiterate all the things you've heard a thousand times over and stress the importance of personal protection and preventative measures," ProMedica's Vice President of Patient Safety and Quality Dr. Brian Kaminski said.
Wearing a mask and keeping a physical distance have been proven to reduce spread in the community, according to Dr. Kaminski.
He says the impact of this virus is widespread and doesn't appear to be going away anytime soon.
"Unfortunately, this discussion has become less about infectious disease and more political and that's unfortunate because this is infectious disease and this is our ability to, as a community, to provide healthcare to those who need it, both with COVID-19 and without," Chief Clinical Officer at Mercy Health Dr. Kevin Casey said.
Health leaders urge you to take these recommendations seriously to help keep you and the people around you safe.