Coronavirus

Thousands of foreign workers who entered the U.S. on temporary work visas received $1,200 checks in error during the first round of stimulus payments, and many of them are spending the money in their home nations. One tax preparation firm told NPR that it has clients from 129 countries who mistakenly received stimulus checks, including Brazil, Canada, China, India, Nigeria and South Korea.

State health officials Tuesday reported  more than eleven-hundred new cases of COVID-19, bringing the state's total 95,106.  

Six states led by a bipartisan group of governors are joining together in an effort to speed up coronavirus testing. As the nation's death count continues to rise above 150,000, the states said they will jointly purchase 3 million rapid antigen tests that can quickly detect the virus.

In some nursing homes, 100% of the residents are positive for the coronavirus. That's by design. These facilities have volunteered to devote part or all of their buildings exclusively to treating COVID-19 patients, who bring in more government money. But to make room for them, the original residents can be forced out of the places they've called home.

State health officials are reporting 40 new coronavirus deaths since Friday,  brining the state's total to 3,529.  

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine wants to limit alcohol sales at bars and restaurants, in an effort to slow community spread of coronavirus.  

Organizers of the Columbus Italian Festival say the event will not held in October as scheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The drug that had been touted by President Trump as a treatment for COVID-19 is being banned in Ohio. 

State health officials Wednesday reported 1,419 new cases of COVID-19  and 40 new deaths. 

More states have been added to Ohio's COVID-19 travel advisory list.  

An NPR investigation has found irregularities in the process by which the Trump administration awarded a multi-million dollar contract to a Pittsburgh company to collect key data about COVID-19 from the country's hospitals.

The contract is at the center of a controversy over the administration's decision to move that data reporting function from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — which has tracked infection information for a range of illnesses for years — to the Department of Health and Human Services.

On January 30, the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus — then unnamed — to be a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern." The virus, first reported in China in late 2019, had started to spread beyond its borders, causing 98 cases in 18 countries in addition to some

Columbus-based L Brands is cutting 850 local office jobs due to sales declines after temporarily closing stores amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

A Franklin County judge has issued a 14-day restraining order on a Columbus ordinance requiring bars and restaurants to close on-site service at 10 pm.  

Updated at 6:45 p.m. ET

Twitter put a 12-hour restriction on Donald Trump Jr.'s account, saying the president's son put out a tweet that contained "misleading and potentially harmful" information about the coronavirus.

The news emerged after a person close to Trump Jr. — Republican political strategist Andrew Surabian — posted a screenshot showing what appeared to be a message to Trump Jr. alerting him of a temporary limit on his account based on the company's policy on spreading misinformation on COVID-19.

The Midwest could be the next area to see a big surge in coronavirus cases, the top U.S. infectious disease specialist warned Tuesday. But there's still time to stop the upswing, he said, if states follow the national guidelines on reopening safely.

While the Southern United States has been seeing the fastest rise in cases, that now appears to be on the downswing, Fauci told George Stephanopoulos on ABC's Good Morning America.

Columbus City Schools Superintendent Talisa Dixon says all classes k-12 will be online only for the first quarter of the school year.

The director of Ohio's prison system has announced that she has tested positive for the coronavirus.

State health officials Sunday reported 889 new cases of COVID-19 and ten new deaths. 

Ohio State University says part of the campus reopening plan will require students, faculty and staff to complete a ten-minute online training course and sign a pledge understanding and committing to the behaviors in the training. 

Columbus Mayor Andy Ginther said Friday he is asking Columbus City Council to approve an ordinance on Monday limiting hours of operation for bars, nightclubs and restaurants as COVID-19 cases continue to rise. 

A nursing home in Newark is reporting 91 cases of COVID-19 among its residents and staff.