County on purple watch list

Governor DeWine designated Lorain County as a Level 4 purple alert

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has placed Lorain County on a statewide coronavirus watch list as current trends bring it closer to being designated as a Level 4 purple alert.

In a Nov. 19 news conference, DeWine cited Lorain County along with Lake and Montgomery counties as under threat, meeting several indicators of Level 4.

Franklin County currently is the only county in the state of Ohio with the highest COVID-19 threat designation.

Five additional counties were upgraded to Level 3 red alert and all Ohio counties are high incidence and at least Level 2 orange alert, DeWine said.

Ohio’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff urged Ohioans to come together and do their part in helping contain the virus.

“The threat posed to our state cannot be overstated,” Vanderhoff said. “The actions of the people of Ohio will be the determining factor of what the future looks like.

“We have to band together, we have to be protective of one another.”

Level 4 purple alert is defined by the Ohio Department of Health’s Public Health Advisory System as a public emergency with the potential for severe exposure and spread.

Individuals residing in these areas are advised to only leave home for supplies and services.

According to Lorain County Public Health on

Nov. 19, Lorain County has 5,020 confirmed cases and 88 deaths.

Due to a high volume of cases, the health department says it will not update data until the high caseload decreases.

On Nov. 18, Lorain County Public Health Commissioner Dave Covell said the county has had more than 944 COVID-19 cases in the past week as hospitals continue to fill up.

Health officials have expressed their concerns and are pleading with the public to do their part in helping them control the spread of the virus.

Also, hospitals have sounded the alarm as COVID-19 hospitalizations increase and available beds are shrinking.

UH Elyria President Kristi Sink also said on Nov. 18 that her hospital is at capacity in its intensive care unit, forcing staff to open up an additional floor to meet its needs.

Statewide, there are 326,615 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 reported in Ohio and 5,890 confirmed and probable COVID-19 deaths.

A total of 23 people have been hospitalized throughout the pandemic, according to the state.

DeWine’s latest health order encouraging people to stay at home during specified hours unless they are working or engaged in an essential activity went into effect Nov. 19.

“As COVID-19 continues to spread in Ohio, we need a stronger response to minimize the impact on Ohio’s health care and hospital capacity and ensure health care is available to those that need it,” he said. “With this order, we are discouraging get-togethers and gatherings to minimize the spread of the virus while minimizing the economic impact of a complete shutdown.”