Coronavirus Pandemic: Over 21K cases in Ohio

While school district administrators and parents continue to digest the $775 million in budget cuts Gov. Mike DeWine announced, anticipation grows for what he might have to say Thursday when he is expected to share an update on the restrictions that have been in place for restaurants and the retail sector.

The Stay-Safe-Ohio order will be superseded as new developments occur during the month, so the governor is warning everyone not to wed themselves to May 29, when the order is to expire.

There is no briefing planned for today, DeWine said, unless something of significance occurs regarding the pandemic or the budget proposal.

SPONSORED CONTENT

Support Local and be an Ohio Hero

By Ohio. Find It Here.

>> What does the new order look like?

LATEST STATE DATA: As of Wednesday afternoon, there are 21,576 cases in the state, 1,225 deaths, and 4,052 hospitalizations, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

Ohio has an estimated population of approximately 11.7 million, census records show.

The state’s long-term care facilities have seen 15 percent of the total cases in Ohio.

Of the state’s positive cases, 20% are from Ohio’s prisons. At those prisons, there has been an increase in testing.

[ Local cases, deaths reported to Ohio Department of Health ]

There have been 167,978 people tested for coronavirus in Ohio. In the state, 3,378 cases are health care workers, which is 16 percent of the cases.

It is important to note the number of confirmed cases is not a true reflection of actual cases in the state because of the limited amount of testing available. The hope is that the number of cases will be more accurate because of the expansion of the testing standards.

Things you need to know today, Wednesday:

• Montgomery County Commissioners passed a resolution to pay a stipend to employees for face coverings.
• DeWine announced a $775 million budget reduction in General Revenue Fund spending for the remainder of the fiscal year 2020, which ends June 30. “If we don’t’ make these cuts now, the cuts we will have to make next year will be more dramatic,” he said. The cuts were announced because the state by law must balance its biennial budget.
• More than 85 percent of the state budget goes to schools, higher education, Medicaid services and local governments.
• EVICTION DEADLINES: The city of Dayton has extended the no-eviction policy until the end of May, Mayor Nan Whaley said, to give social service agencies time to get money to residents and more time for residents who are waiting for stimulus checks.
• WATER SHUTOFF DEADLINE: The city of Dayton also extended until the end of May the directive to not shut off residential water, Whaley said.
• CUSTOMERS & FACE COVERINGS: All businesses must meet all the protocols of Stay-Safe-Ohio as they reopen -- social distancing, limiting the number of customers, employees requiring employees to wear face coverings, etc. “It’s a new way of conducting business,” said Health Commissioner Jeff Cooper, Public Health -- Dayton & Montgomery County. “We’re asking you, even as a customer, though you are not required, to wear face coverings out of respect for other customers and employees,” Cooper said. PHDMC is encouraging employees who have concerns about the use of face coverings in the workplace to contact their human resources departments. Mayor Whaley also encouraged residents to wear face coverings in public, saying it’s “patriotic” to do so.
• WHITE HOUSE COVID-19 TASK FORCE GOING AWAY?: Now that the nation has entered phase 2 of the White House plan to reopen, winding down the task force is close, President Trump said. He said certain people on the task force focused on certain things, such as the building of hospitals and ventilators. It’s a combination of safety and reopening now, he said, noting "we probably will have a different group set up for the safety and reopening.

Other things you need to know for today:

SPONSORED CONTENT

How do we redefine work to create new value for customers and the business?

By Deloitte

Other things you need to know today:

• VACCINE ON HORIZON?: Pfizer testing possible vaccine in 360 U.S. patients
• OBAMA AT COMMENCEMENT: President Obama to headline televised 2020 commencement event
• NEW RULE ON AIR TRAVEL?: Mandate face coverings for all flights, airline association says
• COVID-19 LIVE UPDATES: Read up on the latest news across the nation, world
• COMING THURSDAY: A special report from WHIO-TV’s John Bedell on finding necessities

© 2020 Cox Media Group