Coronavirus in Ohio Wednesday update: Gov. DeWine plans 2pm briefing

COLUMBUS (WCMH) — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted and Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton, M.D. MPH will hold a briefing Wednesday afternoon to discuss the latest efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus in the state.

The briefing is scheduled for 2 p.m. and can be streamed live right here.

As of Tuesday, 7,280 cases have been reported in the state, leading to 324 deaths. A total of 2,156 people have been hospitalized, 654 in critical care.

The state is now using updated criteria when reporting case numbers, based on CDC guidelines.

Before this change, the guidance only allowed doctors to count COVID-19 cases that had been confirmed by a laboratory test. Now, the new guidance will include cases that meet the following criteria:

• A person will be counted if a quick test determines the presence of COVID-19 antibodies in the blood
• A person will be counted if there is clinical evidence and epidemiological evidence of the presence of COVID-19 when there is no other likely diagnosis, even if there’s no lab test

Tuesday’s numbers include 7,153 laboratory confirmed cases and 127 cases under the expanded criteria. A total of 309 deaths are laboratory confirmed cases, with 15 more meet the expanded criteria.

Coronavirus in Ohio resources: