Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Wife Exposed To COVID-19

COLUMBUS, OH — Gov. Mike DeWine and his wife, Fran DeWine, have been exposed to COVID-19.

The couple were around someone on Monday evening who has since tested positive for the virus, the governor's office said in a statement. Both DeWines are currently asymptomatic and tested negative for the virus on Thursday morning.

"The DeWines will continue to be tested daily and postpone public events," the governor's office said in a statement.

Ohio is in the midst of a delta-driven COVID-19 surge. Northern Ohio has been hit particularly hard, with hospitals delaying nonessential surgeries to preserve bed space and health officials noting that COVID-19 hospitalization levels are approaching unprecedented highs.

Statewide, there are more than 4,700 Ohioans hospitalized with COVID-19. That means one in five hospitalized patients have tested positive for the virus, according to the Ohio Hospital Association. One in three patients in Ohio's intensive care wards have contracted COVID-19, the association added.

A spokesperson for DeWine's office could not immediately tell Patch where the governor was on Monday night when he was exposed to the virus.