Coronavirus: Long-term care facilities required to notify family, residents of cases within 24 hours

Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton will issue an order requiring long-term care facilities to notify family and residents within 24 hours of any staff or residents who have tested positive for coronavirus.

Previously, Acton and Gov. Mike DeWine encouraged facilities to provide that information to residents and family. Now is it required.

The state will also provide a list of all long-term care facilities where a person has tested positive for the virus.

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DeWine signed an executive order providing $5 million in funding to Ohio foodbanks.

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said the funds are from the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families block grant and will go toward 12 Feeding America foodbanks in the state.

An additional $1 million was earmarked for the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio to help homeless shelters buy cleaning supplies and provide housing services.

There are 6,975 cases of coronavrius in Ohio and 274 deaths, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

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The state is reporting 2,033 hospitalizations total and 898 hospitalizations currently. There have been 613 ICU admissions.

Of the cases reported, there are 6,881 confirmed and 94 probable.

There are six probable deaths and 268 confirmed.

“The good news is we’re staying flat,” Acton said.

The state has tested 65,000 people for the virus.

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Liquor sales in Ashtubla, Trumbull, Mahoning, Columbiana, Jefferson and Belmont counties can only be sold to Ohio residents.

Ohioans in those counties need to present a photo ID to prove residency.

The restriction came after local law enforcement departments reported Pennsylvania residents crossing the state border to buy liquor, DeWine said.

Pennsylvania recently stopped liquor sales in the wake of the pandemic.

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If out-of-state residents continue crossing the state line for the sole purpose of purchasing liquor, the restriction could be spread to other counties, DeWine said.

The first coronavirus inmate death has been confirmed in Ohio at Pickaway Correctional Institution, DeWine said.

He also authorized the Ohio National Guard to provide medical assistance at Pickaway after more than a dozen prison medical staff tested positive for coronavirus.

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