10,000 COVID-19 cases in a day: What Ohio expects by mid-May

COLUMBUS — Ohio officials said Friday the state's latest projections on the spread of the new coronavirus, or COVID-19, put the peak of cases around mid-May with a potential 10,000 cases a day.

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

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

The governor said hospitals have been preparing for a surge 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.

Ohio has 1,137 confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to the latest state report Friday — a 31 percent increase from Thursday. That includes 68 total cases in Mahoning County; 17 in Trumbull County; and seven in Columbiana County. Trumbull County late Friday reported an additional seven new cases and Columbiana reported 1 additional new case, all of which are not included in the state's total.

Hospitalizations in the state have risen to 276, including 107 people in intensive care units.

Nineteen people have died, including five in the Mahoning Valley. Mahoning and Trumbull counties each reported their second death from the virus Friday. Those counties and Columbiana County each reported their first death Thursday.

"We extend sympathy to the family and friends of this individual and ask that all residents of Trumbull County be mindful of the rapid spread of this disease in our community," Trumbull health officials said in a Friday evening statement. "It is more important now than ever that we take the necessary precautions to suppress the spread of this disease."

On Thursday, state officials expected an upper range of 8,000 new cases per day at the virus' peak. DeWine said Friday that's changed due to how modeling of the disease's spread changes as scientists get more and better data.

"Throughout this, we have tried to describe what the best science tells us; what the best medical advice is," he said. "I can tell you in the phone conversation we had today with some of our hospitals ... there is a sense of great urgency.

"Everything we see on the ground indicate this is coming. It's already here. ... The more facts we get, the better the modeling."

Below is the data presented during Friday's briefing:

• Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Friday 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.

• Congress on Friday passed a $2 trillion federal COVID-19 relief package, which was later signed into law by President Trump. It includes:

• A $150 billion State and Local Coronavirus Relief Fund, of which $4.5 billion is headed to Ohio, to allocate as needed.
• A new unemployment insurance system offering an additional $600 per week for the next four months, as well as an additional 13 weeks of federally funded benefits. Unemployment will also be expanded to independent contractors, though state officials said Friday the federal government has not offered direction on providing it.
• $200 billion for the health care industry, $50 billion of which is for Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements
• Immediate payments of $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. The checks are expected to go out as early as next week, lawmakers said.
• $17 billion in debt relief through U.S. Small Business Administration loans and $10 billion in disaster relief grants

• President Trump Monday tweeted Monday that General Motors should reopen its "stupidly abandoned" Lordstown plant in order to make ventilators, though GM sold the plant in November to Lordstown Motors Corp. The president later Friday invoked the Defense Production Act of 1950 to order the automaker to begin manufacturing the equipment, which are in short supply at hospitals nationwide.

• Mercy Health on Friday opened a portal for residents to donate homemade personal protective equipment like masks or other protective gear like goggles, face shields, latex gloves or Tyvek suits. To arrange a donation, email APRush@bshsi.org with the subject line "DONATION" or call 888-383-8000. The healthcare provider asked not to bring donations directly to facilities.

• The Mahoning County Emergency Management Agency is also accepting PPE donations. To coordinate a donation, email DonatePPE@mahoningcountyoh.gov or call 330-599-5351.

• The City of Youngstown and United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley are assisting at Youngstown City School District's food distribution sites. Several city and school employees wearing personal protective equipment will place food into your car. All students can receive five breakfasts and five lunches for the week from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, March 30 at several schools:

• McGuffey, 310 S. Schenley Ave.
• Kirkmere, 2851 Kirk Road
• Harding, 1903 Cordova Ave.
• East High School, 474 Bennington Ave.
• Taft, 730 E. Avondale Ave.
• Williamson, 58 Williamson Ave.

• The Youngstown State University Foundation has launched a campaign to raise $50,000 to help YSU students who are struggling financially during the coronavirus outbreak.

• According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health on Thursday, there are 2,218 COVID-19 cases in the state which have led to 22 deaths. There are four cases in Lawrence County; and four cases in Mercer County.

This story was originally published March 28, 2020 at 6:00 AM with the headline "10,000 COVID-19 cases in a day: What Ohio expects by mid-May."