Huron County has hotspot for new COVID-19 cases

WILLARD — Huron County is one of Ohio's main hotspots for COVID-19 case increases, with outbreaks reported in three farms in Willard. Huron County Public Health announced Tuesday 36 cases have been linked to three farms: Buurma Farms Inc., Holthouse Farms of Ohio, Inc. and Wiers Farm. A spokeswoman for the health department, Melanie Myers, said additional COVID-19 cases in Huron County were confirmed Wednesday but said it has not been confirmed yet if they are related to the Willard farms outbreak. The outbreaks began on June 11, 12 and 22, Myers wrote in an email. Myers said additional information on the outbreak will be released Friday. On Wednesday, the New York Times published a map of Ohio showing that cases are rising rapidly in two Ohio counties: Huron County and Columbiana County, in eastern Ohio. Cases are falling in Erie County, the Times map showed. Huron County's health commissioner, Tim Hollinger, said in a statement Tuesday the county health department is working "to continue to provide up to date COVID-19 information and guidance and as it becomes available." But Hollinger and Myers did not answer the Register's questions about whether any of the 36 cases associated with the outbreak have been hospitalized, whether the outbreak has resulted in any deaths or other questions about the circumstances of the outbreak. Buurma and Wiers Farm declined to answer questions Wednesday. A message left at Hothouse Farms wasn't returned. Huron County's health department said in a news release it has been working to contact everyone who may have been exposed to COVID-19 in the Willard outbreak. As of Wednesday, the state health department reported 129 cases in Huron County and one death. The one known death from COVID-19 in Huron County was Bill Knapp, a member of the Huron County Public Health board for 20 years. Knapp, 79, died on March 29. As of Wednesday, Erie County had 218 cases, up two from Tuesday, and 22 deaths. Sandusky County had 110 cases and 13 deaths. Ottawa County had 123 cases and 22 deaths. Ohio had 46,759 cases and 2,755 deaths on Wednesday. The U.S. had 2,369,806 cases and 121,846 deaths. The world had 9,330,883 cases and 479,496 deaths.