Gov. Mike DeWine said the average age of positive coronavirus cases in the state continues to lower as the state experience its fourth highest daily total of new coronavirus cases. On Thursday, approximately 60 percent of the new cases involved Ohioans between ages 20 and 49, DeWine said.
The following announcements were made during DeWine’s afternoon press conference:
- The state also had its highest testing totals in the state this week, with the positive rate for those tests hovering around 5 percent.
- In March, the average age for positive cases was 51-years-old. That average has dropped to 42-years-old this month.
- Dr. Richard Lofgren, CEO of UC Health, said we can safely live with the virus, reiterating the social distancing and disinfecting practices that have been discussed for months.
- Lofgren said there isn’t much data yet to support a specific reason to why younger adults are seeing an increase in cases, but says as contract tracing is conducted that data will likely become available.
- DeWine said over 900 people were tested at the pop-up testing site in Xenia on Wednesday.
- DeWine said he spoke with Mayor Nan Whaley to help discuss a plan to bring more testing to the Dayton area.
- DeWine said even though the numbers are spiking in southwest Ohio he is not planning to enact a mask requirement for counties seeing a rise in cases.
- Pop-up testing sites manned by the Ohio National Guard are being placed to focus on areas that the state has concern about coronavirus spread. DeWine said each county is not being treated equally due to this focus.
- The governor said he expects he could release the state’s guidance for schools on Tuesday possibly, reiterating that there will not be any surprises.
Things you need to know today, Thursday:
- DeWine also is expected to offer findings and comments on the increase in COVID-19 cases involving young people.
- 975 coronavirus tests were administered at the Greene County pop-up testing site Wednesday and 1317 tests were given at the pop-up site on Edwin C. Moses in Dayton today, Five Rivers Health Centers reported.
The tests at those two sites are free to anyone wanting a test.
- POP-UP TESTING continues throughout the state. Here’s the map with locations.
- KROGER HEALTH, in conjunction with Kettering Health Network, is offering drive-up and walk-up testing sites beginning today.
- ACCESS TO TESTING: test sites in Xenia and Dayton are being offered this week as part of DeWine’s push for minorities to get virus testing.
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- Dayton Public Schools: Superintendent Elizabeth Lolli discusses the district’s plan for students to return to the classroom in August.
- Federal Fraud Case: Nadine Consuelo Jackson, 31, is charged with bank fraud and making a false statement to a bank stemming from two loans she received through the Payroll Protection Program, set up to assist businesses suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Dayton woman is accused of securing fraudulently sought forgivable loans for $1.3 million and $1.2 million from the Small Business Administration. She claimed to have 73 employees at a Dayton-based private investigation and security services business, Extract LLC.
- American-made PPE: U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown, Democrat and Rob Portman, Republican, are urging the COVID-19 Joint Acquisition Task Force (JATF) to prioritize the procurement of American-made PPE, and to consider comprehensive measures to incentivize the reshoring of additional PPE production back to the United States. “We strongly urge you to give full preference to items made at least in part in the U.S. over those that are wholly made abroad,” the senators wrote in a letter to Ellen Lord, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and head of the JATF. “Made-in-America PPE is absolutely vital to the success of our pandemic response,” the senators said in their letter.
- GE Job Cuts: GE has had layoffs in Beavercreek consistent with the company’s overall plan to reduce the GE Aviation workforce due to COVID-related impacts, a company spokesman said Wednesday.
- AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS: Two public awareness campaigns are being launched, aimed at spreading awareness of COVID-19 prevention measures. The 15-second ads, provided by the Ohio Department of Health, will air for three weeks on broadcast, cable, and social media across the state. The PSAs feature Ohio health care professionals.
- BLACKS, ALZHEIMER’S & COVID-19: The Alzheimer’s Association and The Center for Closing the Health Gap will present a COVID-19 Virtual Town Hall from 4-5 p.m. on June 27, to focus on the impact of the virus on African Americans. The theme of the program is “The Impact of COVID-19 on Alzheimer’s and Dementia.” The hour-long event is free. Studies continue to show that African Americans, as a group, are at higher risk for a variety of health problems, including Alzheimer’s and other dementia. To join the town hall, visit: covid19communityresources.com. The event will be available through Zoom and FBLive@CloseHealthGap.
Coronavirus: Local cases, deaths reported to Ohio Department of Health ]
LATEST STATE DATA: As of Thursday afternoon, there have been at least 47,651 confirmed or probable cases in the state, 2,772 deaths, and 7,502 hospitalizations, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
The case increase from yesterday is 892. There were 17 new deaths reported and 55 new hospitalizations.
Ohio has an estimated population of approximately 11.7 million, census records show.
Of the state’s positive cases, 11% are from Ohio’s prisons. At those prisons, there has been an increase in testing.
[ Local cases, deaths reported to Ohio Department of Health ]
The state reported 15,513 new tests on Thursday, bringing the total people tested in the state to 696,200.
In the state, 6,705 cases are health care workers, which is 14 percent of the cases.
Some other things you should know today: