Ohio health officials Sunday reported 11-hundred new cases of COVID-19 and 42 more deaths.
The state now has 74,932 cases and 3,174 deaths. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine told NBC on Sunday an order requiring masks to be worn in public may include "a lot more counties" this week as COVID-19 continues to spread in the state:
DeWine says spikes in cases are occurring in bars, churches, among out-of-state travelers and people who are gathering in casual settings:
On Thursday, DeWine ordered residents in 19 counties to wear a mask in public. Another order that could be coming from Governor Mike DeWine could deal with nursing homes – where three quarters of all confirmed COVID-19 deaths in Ohio have been reported. Ohio Public Radio's Karen Kasler reports.
Testing in nursing homes has been happening with the help of the Ohio National Guard, but federal funds for their pandemic-related missions runs out August 7. DeWine said he'll soon be announcing a protocol for continual testing of staff in nursing homes.
“So that will be a constant testing of staffs at nursing homes, and we think that is the best way to try to control this," DeWine said. "It comes into the nursing homes through the staff."
Long term care facilities say they’ll complete a round of staff testing by the end of the month, with tests going to Quest Laboratories. But that private company says results could take a week to come back because of testing surges.
