Governor DeWine in his Tuesday COVID-19 briefing said Putnam County has had the highest occurrence of COVID-19 cases in the state the last few weeks based on population at 233.3 per 100,000 people.

The Putnam County Health Department says the rate is not surprising since there have been approximately 100 cases identified in the county since August 16th.

Health officials say many of the cases are related to a recent golf outing and other family events.

State data shows Putnam County has had 343 total cases of the virus and 17 deaths.

Governor DeWine says other gatherings in the state have resulted in more cases and that we’ve got to be very careful as Labor Day approaches.

The Putnam County Health Department continues to ask residents to follow safety guidelines.

-Wear a mask or face covering when near others
-Maintain social distancing – stay 6 feet away from others as much as possible
-Avoid large gatherings
-Wash hands frequently for at least 20 seconds, or use hand sanitizer
-Stay home if you are feeling sick