Test results pending on 15 suspected COVID-19 in Columbia County

DAYTON–Fifteen individuals have test results pending in Columbia County, Martha Lanman, administrator of the Columbia County Public Health Department, reported at the Wednesday emergency meeting of the Columbia County Commissioners.

As of midweek, there has been one confirmed case of COVID-19, who has recovered at home and is off quarantine, Lanman reported. Another has tested negative, and there are presently 15 outstanding tests awaiting return of results.

"It's frustrating because some of the tests have been out there-today is day six," Lanman said. The Health Department is contacting the individuals twice a day to monitor temperature and symptoms.

The County Commissioners approved two additional nurses for the department, they have started training and will start immediately, she said.

"The numbers have just gone up," Lanman said.

"We're having health-care meetings with every other week with EMS (Emergency Medical Services), fire, hospital, infectious control, lab and everything like that so that we, A: can understand all the changes that you're seeing that are changing for the public, behind the scenes are changing regulations for what we report and how we report and where we report and if we report.

"I'm very confident that we're all working together in our community and that's a good thing," Lanman said.