DeWine: ‘Stark reality’ is that state’s hospital capacity must triple

[EDITOR'S NOTE — This story has been updated to correct that Ohio will get $4.5 billion to allocate where needed from the federal relief package.]

COLUMBUS — State officials said Friday the state's latest projections on the spread of the new coronavirus, or COVID-19, now plan for its peak to happen in mid-May, with a potential 10,000 new cases per day.

Though Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton said hospitals across the state have been planning to almost double the state's hospital capacity, the new figures call for it to triple.

"We have a long way to go. That's the stark reality," DeWine said.

The governor said, however, hospitals have been preparing for this since the number of confirmed cases began to ramp up in Ohio. He said he's called for action plans from eight designated regions in the state by Monday.

"We now move into really high gear," he said.

DeWine on Friday also signed a state relief omnibus that pushes back the state's mail-in primary election voting deadline to April 28; aligns the state's income tax filing deadline with the new federal deadline of July 15; and suspends Ohio's K-12 standardized testing, among other provisions.

U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, gave a rundown of a $2 trillion federal relief package soon expected to be signed into law by President Donald Trump.

"This coronavirus pandemic is posing unprecedented challenges," he said Friday. "While we've got these huge challenges on the health care front, we've also got businesses closing. ... Our social safety nets are being tested like never before."

The relief package directs $150 billion to the health care industry, $50 billion of which is for Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements, as well as $4.5 billion for Ohio to allocate where needed.

A ground-level stimulus would pay $1,200 to each American adult making less than $75,000 a year, or $2,400 for a couple making less than $150,000 a year combined. Those who have received income tax refunds by direct deposit or who receive Social Security benefits don't need to sign up to receive the payments, Portman said.

The checks are expected to go out as early as next week, he said.

It also creates a new unemployment insurance system offering up to $600 per week and expanding eligibility to independent contractors, Portman said.

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said Friday the feds have not yet advised how to offer unemployment to those workers, however.

The bill also includes support for small businesses by converting U.S. Small Business Administration loans for payments on mortgages, rent, utilities or payroll to grants.

Portman said an estimated 300 million people have been laid off due to the virus nationwide.

This story was originally published March 27, 2020 at 2:58 PM with the headline "DeWine: ‘Stark reality’ is that state’s hospital capacity must triple."