Governor DeWine Press Conference Summary for Friday, April 24

Below are the updates from Friday’s press conference with Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted. There was no press conference scheduled for Saturday or Sunday. 

Here’s the news from Friday: 

• Ohio’s COVID-19 case data is below:
• 14,581 confirmed cases
• 588 probable cases  
• 15,169 total cases
• 3,053 hospitalizations
• 649 confirmed deaths
• 41 probable deaths
• 690 total deaths
• 920 ICU admissions
• More data is available on the COVID-19 Dashboard HERE.  

• Governor DeWine announced that members of the newly formed Testing Strike Team, led by former Governors Celeste and Taft, have reached an agreement with Thermo Fisher, a company that makes reagent, that will substantially expand COVID-19 testing capacity in Ohio.  

• As a result of collaborative efforts through the Ohio Manufacturing Alliance, Governor DeWine announced that ROE Dental Laboratory in Cleveland will manufacture up to 1 million testing swabs to support Ohio's testing efforts. The Manufacturing Alliance helped ROE Dental secure the specifications to manufacture swabs from Formlabs, a 3-D printing company in Toledo. This testing will dramatically increase Ohio's ability to test in our priority areas, including nursing homes, hot spots, congregate living settings, food and grocery stores, and essential manufacturing facilities.  

• The increased testing capacity in Ohio will also allow for enhanced contact exposure tracing throughout the state. As part of Ohio's offense strategy, Governor DeWine announced that Ohio has started working with Massachusetts-based Partners in Health. Partners in Health will bring needed resources to Ohio to help increase the ability to trace contact exposure to the virus. More information is attached.  

• Governor DeWine announced today that the state will cover the costs to keep more than 200 youth who are aging out of foster care in the foster care system until the COVID-19 pandemic ends. This option is also available for young people enrolled in the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) Bridges program, Ohio's foster care to age 21 program, to help them maintain their housing, jobs, and education. 

• Attached is a fact sheet overviewing Federal coordination and assistance provided to the State of Ohio and the people of Ohio to combat COVID-19. 

• Reminder that election day is on Tuesday, April 28. Only those with a disability and those who are homeless can vote in-person. Everyone else must vote by mail. Requests for an absentee ballot must be in by noon Saturday.  You can request your ballot at VoteOhio.Gov.  

• The Ohio Arts Council has launched a new project called the Ohio Arts Beacon of Light, to give Ohio artists a place to share, connect, and cope with the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. More information is available at OAC.Ohio.Gov/OhioArtsBeacon  

• Ohioans can apply for unemployment benefits online 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at unemployment.ohio.gov. It is also possible to file by phone at 877-644-6562 or TTY at 888- 642-8203, Monday through Friday 7AM to 7PM, Saturday 9AM to 5PM, and Sunday 9AM to 1PM. Employers with questions should email UCTech@jfs.ohio.gov.  

As always, Coronavirus.Ohio.Gov and the Department of Health hotline, 1-833-4-ASK-ODH are great resources for those who have questions.