CADIZ ­– Harrison County Health Department officials are encouraging residents to continue taking precautionary measures amid the coronavirus pandemic.

As some areas throughout Ohio continue to see increases in positive cases, health department Administrator Garen Rhome said he “implores” residents to continue to take precautionary measures.

“I just really want to implore people to continue the social distancing. Don’t get lax. The main things are really fourfold — hand washing and sanitizing constantly like you never have done before; social distancing; sanitizing and cleaning shared surfaces after the work day, before the work day, during the work day; and then, of course, the hot topic is mask wearing,” he said.

The combination of hand hygiene, cleaning shared surfaces, donning a facial covering and social distancing will help stop the spread of the virus, Rhome said.

“Those four things combined are what will get us through this, if we can all act accordingly,” he said.

“When I look at the graphs and the numbers going in the wrong direction from all across Ohio, I just really want people to understand that these things are what will get us through.”

The health department recommends people wash and sanitize hands and common shared surfaces often to prevent the spread of the virus.

Commissioner Paul Coffland inquired about contact tracing and if people should remain within their family unit. Rhome said he recommends keeping close contact tracing numbers low by staying within the “home unit” as much as possible. Wear a facial covering and practice social distancing when in public, he said.

“The people who you are around most of the time, try to make those your only close contacts through any given day,” he said. “Try to eliminate those outside close contacts, keep that number low.”

As of Wednesday, the county has had 12 confirmed cases, 10 recoveries and one coronavirus-related death. The county’s newest positive case was announced June 24. Rhome said the individual is isolating at home and all their close contacts have been notified.

Commissioners Don Bethel, Dale Norris and Coffland thanked Rhome for his weekly update regarding the virus.

In observance of Independence Day the Harrison County Courthouse will be closed Friday.