'We Do Not Want To Be Overrun': Ohio Coronavirus Update

COLUMBUS, OH — With increases seen in new coronavirus cases, Ohio health officials said Tuesday they expect a surge in patients with the disease that could lead to a shortage of medical equipment and delays in medical access for some.

The state has taken drastic action to try to halt the COVID-19 virus spread, with Ohio now having 67 confirmed cases, the Ohio Department of Health announced Tuesday. Seventeen people are hospitalized because of the virus.

There is no longer a chance that Ohio will not see a surge in COVID-19 cases, said Dr. Amy Acton, the health department’s director. The stress on hospitals could also lead to ripple effects, with people who don’t have the virus having to wait for medical access, Acton said.

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Mike Abrams, the president and CEO of the Ohio Hospital Association, said he is concerned but optimistic because of Ohio's impressive hospital infrastructure. He said hospital systems and medical experts have been working together to create guidelines for how to approach the outbreak of COVID-19.

"Hospitals in our state are at about 75 percent capacity," Abrams said. That means, he said, hospital systems could accommodate a 25 percent surge in COVID-19 but that anything beyond that would require extraordinary measures.

Those measures could include accepting noninfectious patients into nursing homes or hotels for care, opening up hospital beds for surge accommodation, Abrams said. There have also been talks of reopening hospital buildings that have recently closed. The state could also send patients to critical-access hospitals, where restrictions on beds have been relaxed by the federal government.

Resolving the Primary Delay

Officials delayed Ohio's primary Tuesday by closing polls through an emergency order from the Ohio Department of Health on Monday night. Gov. Mike DeWine said he wants to hold the election on June 2 to give all residents ample time to cast their ballots. DeWine said he did not want Ohioans to choose between their health and exercising their constitutional rights.

A poll worker in Madison County tested positive for COVID-19 this week, and the Madison County Board of Elections is now closed. Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said the shuttering of that board was a prime example of why Ohio's primary needed to be delayed.

Ohio officials are pursuing an official postponement to the primary election through both the judicial system and the state legislature, DeWine said. The governor said he is open for discussion on how to resolve the primary quagmire, but he will insist on giving residents an extended period to vote.

"There is nothing magic about June 2nd," DeWine said Tuesday. "What is important is people have an opportunity to vote over an extended period of time."

On Monday afternoon, DeWine urged officials to move the state's primary election to June. After a court rejected a lawsuit that would have enacted DeWine's wishes, Acton ordered all Ohio polling locations closed Tuesday because they posed a threat to residents during this health emergency.

"We needed to signal to poll workers, to voters, very quickly what was going to happen," DeWine said. He added that an appeal could have been made immediately but the decision would not have been made until hours later, leaving many Ohioans in a lurch.

Other Closures

The governor has also ordered the following institutions to close: schools, bars, restaurants, bowling alleys, indoor water parks, indoor trampoline parks, fitness centers, gyms and public recreation centers. He has said he is exploring ordering the state's day cares to close as well.

DeWine also said Ohioans holding weddings or funerals should consider conducting a private service and delaying the public ceremony until after the pandemic subsides.

Safety Tips

Ohioans are being urged to practice social distancing — limiting their exposure to other people — until the outbreak slows. Health officials said Ohioans should follow many of the same health and safety tips they practice during flu season to help halt the spread of the new coronavirus:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs.

The Ohio Department of Health's COVID-19 call center is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and can be reached at 833-4-ASK-ODH (833-427-5634). Workers will answer any questions about the virus and the state's response.