Coronavirus: Low-Level Offenders Released From Jail In Cuyahoga

CLEVELAND — Cuyahoga County health officials are expecting more cases of new coronavirus, COVID-19, to appear in coming days, Cuyahoga County Health Commissioner Terry Allan said on Friday. There are now five confirmed cases of the virus in Ohio, including three cases in Cuyahoga County.

Community spread is now present in Ohio, meaning residents can contract COVID-19 without traveling outside the state or coming in contact with someone who has a confirmed case of the virus. Dr. Amy Acton, director of the Ohio Department of Health, estimates that up to 100,000 Ohioans could already have the virus.

Allan said more cases of COVID-19 are expected both in Cuyahoga County and around the state. He urged residents to use common sense safety measures — avoiding large gatherings, staying home when you're sick, etc. — to prevent the further spread of the virus. He said he expects testing capabilities to ramp up throughout the state.

Justice Center Release

Low-level offenders will be released from the Cuyahoga County Justice Center to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread, according to Cleveland 19. Courts are working on setting up speedy plea hearings for nearly 200 inmates.

The facility previously announced that it would suspend jury trials until at least April 8.

State of Emergency

Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish declared a state of emergency countywide on Thursday. The declaration will allow officials to make emergency purchases of medical supplies, refer purchases to county council instead of the board of control and forgo competitive bidding in some circumstances.

“This will allow us to purchase mission critical supplies without going through our normal procurement process. I believe that this is crucial so that we can continue to react swiftly to what is a fast-moving situation," Budish said.

Restaurants

Restaurants and food preparation companies in the county are being told to keep sick employees home, to ensure employees are washing their hands regularly (and for at least 20 seconds), to sanitize all surfaces regularly and follow health code regulations.