Tuscarawas County Health Department Highlights 2025 Impact During National Public Health Week
DOVER, Ohio (WJER) (April 10, 2026) — The Tuscarawas County Health Department is marking National Public Health Week by spotlighting major accomplishments from 2025, detailed in its newly released annual report.
The report, shared this week on the department’s Facebook page, outlines how nearly $3 million in grant funding supported a wide range of community health programs and services throughout the year.
According to health department spokeswoman Jennifer Demuth, the funding helped staff deliver essential services to residents across all stages of life. In 2025 alone, staff distributed 180 car and booster seats to local families, completed more than 1,000 food safety inspections, and conducted nearly 2,200 medical appointments.
The department also led 56 community education programs and collected nine tons of scrap tires as part of environmental health and safety efforts.
Vital statistics included in the report show that births once again outnumbered deaths in Tuscarawas County last year. The county recorded 1,187 births compared to 1,088 deaths in 2025.
Heart disease and stroke were identified as the leading causes of death, followed by cancer and respiratory illnesses, according to the report.
The health department also addressed a variety of public safety and disease prevention issues. Staff investigated nearly 200 animal bites, administered more than 1,600 vaccines, and distributed more than 1,100 Narcan kits. Those efforts helped reverse 55 overdoses.
Communicable disease data showed that COVID‑19 remained the most frequently reported illness, though cases dropped significantly to 387 in 2025. Meanwhile, Lyme disease cases rose sharply, reaching 169 reported cases last year.