Mahoning County: COVID-19 ‘hotspot’ data is ‘irrelevant’ — social distancing is key

YOUNGSTOWN — Health officials said Tuesday there's too few reported cases of the new coronavirus, or COVID-19, and such limited virus testing in Mahoning County to justify a further breakdown of case data by locality.

"Releasing ZIP code-level data for a number of cases in a certain area with limited testing can create a false sense of security for residents," Mahoning County Health Commissioner Ryan Tekac said during a Tuesday morning media briefing.

"You could work in Austintown, you could live in the Poland area and you could have shopped in Canfield on your way home. Where did you contract that virus?" he continued.

Tekac clarified recent media reports citing the Ohio Department of Health as stating a majority of Mahoning County's 17 total COVID-19-related deaths were reported in long-term care facilities such as nursing homes. Those facilities account for about 29 percent of those deaths, he said Tuesday.

Of the county's total deaths, about 47 percent are aged between 60 and 79 years old, according to figures released Tuesday by the county. Another 47 percent are at least 80 years old. The age range of those who have died is between 50 and 93 years old, putting their median age at 77 years old.

Nearly three-quarters of the deaths are reportedly men.

A reporter last week asked Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton whether the state could begin identifying the state's cases by ZIP code — as have health officials in Cuyahoga County, which is reporting 871 total cases — and reporters on Tuesday asked officials in Mahoning County, which is reporting 272 total cases.

Melanie Amato, state health department spokesperson, said Tuesday there are too few reported cases in some counties, which could allow patients who have tested positive for the virus to be easily identified, creating conflicts with medical privacy laws.

"The questions about ZIP codes and 'hotspots' are completely irrelevant," said Dr. James Kravec, the county health department's medical director and Mercy Health's chief medical officer.

"The county is a hot spot. The United States is a hot spot. We assume patients are positive based on community spread and we need to do social distancing and assume all of us have this. … Public health looks at the greater communities. Social distancing is saving lives and that is absolutely the most important point right now."

Mahoning County is reporting 272 total confirmed cases of COVID-19, 117 hospitalizations and 17 deaths as of Tuesday.

Of those total cases, 52 percent are men and 48 percent are women, with ages ranging from 13 to 99 years old and a median age of 56 years old.

About 43 percent of the total cases involved people between 60 and 79 years old. Another 42 percent are younger than 60. About 16 percent are at least 80 years old.

This story was originally published April 7, 2020 at 11:16 AM with the headline "Mahoning County: COVID-19 ‘hotspot’ data is ‘irrelevant’ — social distancing is key."