Health officials investigating 2 possible novel coronavirus cases in Ohio

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio (WSYX/WTTE) — Health officials in Butler County are investigating two possible cases of novel coronavirus.

Butler County General Health District says both persons have traveled and returned from China. The students are not ill enough to be hospitalized and are currently in their residence in isolation.

At 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, state and local health officials along with Miami University gave a briefing on the two possible cases of coronavirus.

The Director of the Ohio Department of Health, Dr. Amy Acton, MD, MPH, says these two cases are the only possible cases reported in Ohio as of Tuesday. Respiratory samples were taken from the affected students and sent to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for testing.

The tests take at least 48 hours to determine if it is novel coronavirus, but local health officials say it could take up to a week for ODH to receive the test results.

Butler County General Health District Health Commissioner Jennifer Bailer, RN, MS confirmed that the two students had traveled together to China but refused to confirm if they had traveled to Wuhan, the epicenter of the disease, or if the students were international students or domestic students.

Commissioner Bailer said that the students had only been in the United States for a few days, and they did not have extensive contact with others since returning.

The possible cases come as federal health officials share an update on the U.S. response to the virus.

“This is what public health does and why we train,” expressed Jennifer Bailer. “Our staff, officials at Miami University and the Ohio Department of Health are taking every precaution to keep the community safe. The same precautions that protect against catching and spreading the flu are likely to be helpful for this respiratory virus: Wash your hands regularly, avoid touching your nose and eyes, cover your mouth when you cough and sneeze and don’t go to work if ill. Displaying compassion to all people will be vital as the situation evolves.”

The patients are not severely ill and have been moved to isolation, per health officials.

More details can be found here.

ABC 6/FOX 28 will continue to follow this story.