Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Ohioans should expect more public health orders from the state this week and a statewide mask mandate could be one of those orders.
>>RELATED: Coronavirus: DeWine says to expect ‘more orders from us this week’ during Meet the Press interview
During an interview Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press, DeWine addressed the state’s strong initial response to the pandemic, but concern continues to grow for the direction the state is heading now.
>>Coronavirus: Pop-up testing site today at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds
“While we did a great job early on in Ohio, we are headed in the wrong direction and frankly I’m very very concerned about that,” he said.
DeWine estimated that more counties would enter into the state’s red, Alert Level 3, this week, which triggers a mandatory mask order for that county. Currently 19 of Ohio’s 88 counties fall under the state’s red Alert Level 3 advisory. Locally, Butler and Montgomery counties are in the Level 3 advisory with several counties just outside the Miami Valley also in the red level alert, including Hamilton, Clermont, Franklin, and Allen counties.
A statewide mask order has not been ruled out by the state and health officials, DeWine said.
PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY SYSTEM LEVELS:
- Alert Level 1 (Yellow): This level means a county has triggered zero or one of the indicators, and there is an active exposure and spread. Currently, Auglaize, Logan, Champaign, Darke, and Shelby counties are at this level.
- Alert Level 2 (Orange): This level means a county has triggered two or three indicators and there is an increased risk of exposure and spread. Counties at this level are seeing cases that are growing in the last two weeks. Currently, Preble, Mercer, Miami, Greene Clinton, Warren and Clark Counties are at this level.
- Alert Level 3 (Red): This level means a county has triggered four or five indicators, and there is a very high exposure and spread. Risk is very high. Currently, Butler and Montgomery Counties are at this level.
- Alert Level 4 (Purple): The highest level means a county has triggered six or seven indicators, and there is severe exposure and spread. Officials say to stay home as much as possible when at this level. There are no current counties on this list but Hamilton and Butler counties are on the watch list.
Other things to know today, Monday:
- A free pop-up COVID-19 testing site will be operating Monday in Jefferson Twp. at the new Montgomery County Fairgrounds at 645 Infirmary Road. That site will be in operation from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday.
- Trotwood-Madison Schools release plan to have virtual classes for the first 9 weeks of the 2020/2001 school year due to coronavirus concerns. Details of the plan will be released to their website Monday, July, 20.
- A mass food distribution will be held for Greene County residents Thursday at the Nutter Center in Fairborn.
- Organizers in Wayne County, Indiana announced a mask distribution event will be held Saturday at three locations in Richmond.
- Miami and Greene counties rose to Level 2 Orange last week under the Public Health Advisory System.
- Butler County was dropped from Level 4 watch, but remains at Level 3 Red, requiring a face mask in public. The county is still seeing a rise in cases, but at a slower pace than last week.
- Montgomery County remains at Level 3 Red -- under a mandatory mask order.
- The only county in Ohio on Level 4 watch is Athens County. “The situation here has rapidly accelerated with isolated outbreaks that have resulted from a concerning community spread. Local health officials report at least three outbreaks at local bars, all of which have temporarily closed due to staff cases,” DeWine said.
- Allen County, which borders Auglaize County, has jumped to Level 3 Red after a surge in 76 cases the last two weeks. “This is not just from increased testing, as more and more Allen County residents are seeking care from their doctor and from the ER for COVID-19 symptoms,” DeWine said.
- A $20 million statewide grant program has been established for 68 companies to manufacture more personal protection equipment. Small and medium-sized manufacturers will receive up to $500,000 to retool or expand, construct new facilities, buy equipment or upgrade technology. More than 829 jobs will be added and 1,133 jobs at these businesses will be retained, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said.
- DeWine applauded Walmart and Kroger, who have issued mandatory mask orders for customers and employees.
- The governor said he’s concerned with the trend lines and the impacts it may have on schools and universities. He said the next few weeks will be crucial to seeing what decisions schools make. “It’s not going to take an order from Mike DeWine,” he said.
LATEST STATE DATA: As of Monday afternoon, there have been at least 76,168 confirmed or probable cases in the state, 3,189 deaths, and 9,610 hospitalizations, according to the Ohio Department of Health. 51,860 people are presumed to have recovered from the virus in the state.
Ohio has an estimated population of approximately 11.7 million, census records show.
Of the state’s positive cases, 7% are from Ohio’s prisons.
Of the state’s positive cases, 11% are from long-term care facilities (nursing homes, assisted living)
[ Local cases, deaths reported to Ohio Department of Health ]
The state reported that a total of 1,158,737 people have been tested in Ohio, which is about 12 percent of the population.
In the state, 8,988 cases are health care workers, which is 12 percent of the cases.
[ Local cases, deaths reported to Ohio Department of Health ]
Cox Media Group
