Columbus listed as ‘location to watch’ for possible COVID-19 surge in White House coronavirus task force report

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Columbus was named a “location to watch” for a possible surge in COVID-19 cases by the White House’s coronavirus pandemic task force in a report dated May 7.

This finding comes from data used to track rates of infection in a White House coronavirus task force report from May 7 that was previously undisclosed by the task force. The data was originally obtained and reported by NBC News.

Columbus is on the list along with Charlotte, N.C., Kansas City, Mo., Omaha and Lincoln, Neb., Minneapolis, Montgomery, Al., and Phoenix of “locations to watch.”

Cities on the list fit the following criteria in the past week (as of May 7), according to the task force’s report:

• more than 10 percent week-to-week increases in cases
• more than (or equal to) 200 new cases
• between 100 and 30 new cases per 100,000 people

As of May 12, there are 4,002 cases in Franklin County, with 3,140 cases in the Columbus and Worthington health jurisdictions.

“I think we have to remember, and I know especially with questions about summer, and the antsiness that we all feel, that we are in a plateaued state. The virus is still with us. It’s still a pretty treacherous time for us,” Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton said when asked about the report by the media Tuesday.

Dr. Acton also complimented the efforts of Columbus Public Health Commissioner Dr. Mysheika Roberts and Franklin County Health Commissioner Joe Mazzola to combat COVID-19 spread in Ohio’s most populated city and county, but reminded Ohioans those efforts do not end even with the majority of Ohio’s economy being open.

“All of us have to double down on our efforts… it’s us, it’s what we do, it’s how careful we are [that] will allow us to do more and more, but all over the world we’re learning, and we have to be responsible as we go out,” Acton added.

It’s still not a time to have these mass gatherings. We really don’t want to incite the spread of infection.

Dr. Amy Acton, Ohio Department of Health Director

CLICK HERE to read the White House pandemic task force’s entire report.

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