Coronavirus Pandemic: Stay at home order now in effect; Ohio now with 8 deaths

The stay-at-home order for Ohio is now in effect and will last until April 6. There are some exceptions such as essential businesses and travel for necessary supplies.

Ohio now has 564 confirmed cases of coronavirus reported to the state health department, including 8 deaths.

145 people have been admitted to hospitals, including people who could have been treated and released, the according to the state.

Several developments were reported Tuesday night, including that Mercer County has reported its first positive coronavirus patient, that two more positive cases turned up at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and Piqua police are looking to identify a male who threatened via Facebook to spread illness at stores in Piqua and Troy.

President Trump and the White House Coronavirus Task Force gave their daily briefing late Tuesday afternoon:

• Due to a spike in infections, people who have recently left New York City should self-quarantine for 14 days
• The New York City metro area is being considered a "high risk" area because of the spike, Vice President Pence said
• Trump said he wants the country "opened up" by Easter - April 12

Governor DeWine held his daily update press conference at 2 p.m.:

• The governor showed videos of various state celebrities including UD Coach Anthony Grant, Former Ohio State Buckeye Cardale Jones and Columbus Blue Jackets assistant captain Cam Atkinson encouraging Ohioans to stay at home and healthy.

• DeWine said its important for us to save our state's people to help the economy. "We save our economy by first saving lives. And we have to do it in that order," DeWine said.
• Dr. Amy Acton said of the 145 hospitalized, 65 are in intensive care and 25 are from long-term care/nursing facilities.
• 16 percent of Ohio's confirmed cases involve healthcare workers.

• Acton said some hotels and dorm rooms will be transformed into hospital beds.
• The state is working to find ways to possibly re-use personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Don't call law enforcement or local health departments to interpret the stay-at-home order.  Those calls are overwhelming the system, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said.

READ THE FULL ORDER HERE

• Some new information from Cuyahoga County in Northeast Ohio shows that fatigue and GI issues also are appearing as new symptoms in coronavirus cases, Acton said.
• If you believe a business is in violation of the rules, call your health department or local law enforcement, Husted said.

Local confirmed cases:

• Butler - 18
• Champaign - 1
• Clark - 2
• Clinton- 1
• Darke - 1
• Logan - 2
• Greene - 3
• Miami - 19
• Montgomery - 13
• Warren - 7

Here’s what you need to know today:

• City of Dayton sent home 600 non-essential workers as a result of state order to stay at home.  That's 31 percent of the city's workforce.
• Premier Health said results from the drive-thru testing site will be reported back to the ordering physician and Ohio Department of Health if there is a positive result on a test.
• Dayton Power & Light had an employee test positive for coronavirus. The employee was last in the workplace on March 13 and DP&L developed a list of people the person had direct contact with from March 1 - 13.  All employees who normally report to the building where the person worked were notified Tuesday morning.
• Montgomery County commissioners sent a note to local businesses requesting donations for surgical masks, respirators, gloves, aprons, gowns and face shields.  Businesses able to donate can drop off items at St. Vincent de Paul's location on Edwin C. Moses Boulevard, Monday thru Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Miami County Public Health officials confirmed their first coronavirus death, a resident from Koester Pavilion. 
• Two others at Koester Pavilion have died, but results are pending to see if they had coronavirus.

>> WPAFB reports first coronavirus case on base

• Wright-Patterson Air Force Base has declared a public health emergency. Col. Thomas Sherman, the 88th Air Base Wing commander, made the declaration Monday afternoon. Two more on base have tested positive for the coronavirus, officials said Tuesday evening.
• The base has not been closed, but will be limited to "mission essential work functions and base services for life, health, and sustenance only," Col. Sherman said.

Under level "Charlie": 

• Recommendations are provided to the installation commander about limiting access to the base, limiting travel, and modifying or potentially canceling gathering exercises, services and events;
• Only military members, civilian employees and other Defense Department-affiliated personnel (contractors and retirees, for example) will be allowed on base. The exception applies for those groups if they are conducting official business or duties on base, have appointments at a medical or mission support facility or are using base services for sustenance.
• All organizations will go to mission essential personnel only and conduct business via virtual meetings to limit interactions and comply with social distancing.
• The Commissary and Exchange will remain open, as will limited food service operations on base.
• These entry points will remain open, "to better protect our first responders during this event": Area A: 1A (Commissary Gate); 12A (state Route 444/AFMC Gate); 26A (commercial traffic only); Area B: 19B (National Road Gate);

Coronavirus: Gov. DeWine provides latest on COVID-19 for Monday, March 23 Coronavirus: Gov. DeWine provides latest on COVID-19 for Monday, March 23

• Norcold in Sidney is laying off 345 workers from its two plants because of the stay-at-home order.
• The Mercer County Health District on Tuesday night reported its first positive county COVID-19 test.
• Piqua police are looking to identify a man who posted to Facebook that he was spreading illness at stores in Miami County.