Annual health report shows decrease in COVID-19 cases
The Sandusky County Board of Health's annual report includes data showing a decrease in COVID-19 cases in the last year.
The board of health met March 17 and discussed its annual report including topics such as public health, immunizations, births, deaths, COVID-19 cases, influenza cases, and more in Sandusky County.
In February 2023, the number of new COVID-19 cases reported in the county was 169, compared to 196 in February 2022. The February 2023 COVID cases included 27 people who were fully vaccinated, 56 who were unvaccinated, 76 partially vaccinated cases, and 37 COVID-19 deaths.
6,285 reports filed for 25 diseases
According to the 2022 annual report, there were 6,285 individual reports for 25 diseases in Sandusky County. Most of those were for COVID-19, with 6,139 cases; Influenza-associated hospitalization with 44 cases; Hepatitis C with 44 cases; Campylobacteriosis with 10; and Cryptosporidiosis with six virus cases. Some other communicable diseases the department dealt with were Gonorrhea with 43 cases, Chlamydia with 192 cases, and Syphilis with 4 cases.
The total number of flu vaccines administered was 530 in 2022, with 1,579 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine that included 642 doses of the bivalent booster, which was released last fall.
The board noted that Sandusky County and Seneca County do have after-hour clinics every Thursday in Fremont. Fees are based on income and are available for both women and men.
182 births, 525 deaths reported in county
There was a total of 182 births in Sandusky County including four at-home births.
The Ohio Department of Health offers Cribs for Kids and a Safe Sleep Program to help reduce infant sleep-related deaths by educating parents and caregivers on the importance of safe sleeping habits for babies. They provide portable cribs for those who cannot afford them and last year 54 cribs were distributed.
Last year a total of 525 people died in Sandusky County.
Dr. James Williams, Sandusky County coroner, said, “The amount of coroner deaths are down for the quarter. But there have been many deaths that did not require coroner investigations.” The drug overdose and suicide cases have declined, and he said that is likely due to the work of the Drug Task Force.
Regarding the use of tobacco and vape prevention, more than 14% of youth are reported to be using electronic vapor products in the county, and 7% use tobacco products.
More than 60% of tobacco users attempted to quit smoking last year alone. The Sandusky County Public Health District is working with NAMI Northwest to come up with a five-year plan to decrease nicotine use by providing nicotine recovery services, education services, behavioral health services, nicotine recovery toolkits, and mass media campaigns to help assist on the road to quitting nicotine products.
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Sandusky County Board of Health reports decrease in COVID-19 cases
