DAYTON — Dayton area health care leaders and public health officials gave an update on the region’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and detailed their strategy and priorities moving forward.
At a virtual townhall hosted by the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association (GDAHA) Thursday, Montgomery County Health Commissioner Jeffrey Cooper said about 1 in 672 Montgomery County residents has COVID-19. But Cooper noted the racial disparity in the prevalence of the virus, with 1 in 1,000 white county residents infected, compared to 1 in 489 African-American county residents.
“I think the next phase for Public Health is, how do we address some of the disparities in the case data,” Cooper said.
Health officials also discussed the expanding testing capacity in the region, on the same day Gov. Mike DeWine, (R) Ohio, announced a statewide testing expansion that will allow low-risk and asymptomatic patients to get tests in some cases, and “pop up” testing locations across the state, eventually to be established in Dayton and Xenia.
“We are ramping up our testing significantly,” Cooper said.
That includes, Premier Health told WHIO, testing for all patients being admitted to the hospital, or arriving for surgical procedures.
Hospital officials, along with Mayor Nan Whaley, also urged Miami Valley residents, Thursday, to go check in with their primary care doctors, undergo postponed health procedures, and get emergency treatment for non-COVID-19 health complications as needed.
“Heart attacks and strokes still occur during pandemics, and you need to seek the care that’s there,” said Dr. Darin Pangalangan of Premier Health.
Dr. Pangalangan cited stroke-related data showing a 50 percent decrease in patients showing up to emergency rooms with early stroke symptoms, but a two thirds spike in major strokes.
Meanwhile, as Gov. DeWine this week expressed concern about infection rates in the Miami Valley, Cooper said he anticipates the region will battle the virus with the same focus seen throughout the spring months.
“No matter what happens, I believe this community will respond appropriately,” he said.
© 2020 Cox Media Group
