Coronavirus in Ohio Tuesday update: Latest number of cases to be released at 2pm

COLUMBUS (WCMH) -- The Ohio Department of Health will be releasing the latest number of COVID-19 cases in the state at 2 p.m., Tuesday.  As of Nov. 30, a total of 421,063 (+6,631) cases have been reported in Ohio since the pandemic began, leading to 6,429 (+30) deaths and 26,864 (+357) hospitalizations. During a briefing Monday, Governor Mike [...]

COLUMBUS (WCMH) -- The Ohio Department of Health will be releasing the latest number of COVID-19 cases in the state at 2 p.m., Tuesday. 

As of Nov. 30, a total of 421,063 (+6,631) cases have been reported in Ohio since the pandemic began, leading to 6,429 (+30) deaths and 26,864 (+357) hospitalizations.

During a briefing Monday, Governor Mike DeWine said he received an update from Vice President Mike Pence on vaccine distribution. He was told to expect the first shipment of vaccine from Pfizer on Dec. 15 and the first from Moderna on Dec. 22, pending final approval. He said that he will lay out the state’s plan for distributing the vaccine on Thursday.

“We can’t start putting shots in people’s arms until we get it, but all indications are that it’s coming, and it’s coming within two weeks, roughly,” DeWine said.

DeWine brought on Dr. Andy Thomas of Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center to discuss concerns over the state’s ICU capacity. Thomas, who oversees one of three zones for how hospitals in the state are managing the response to the virus, said in the past two or three days that more hospitals are voicing concerns about the number of ICU patients.

Thomas said hospitalizations have increased 200% since Nov. 1.

DeWine encouraged those who can work from home to continue to do so, and for those who recently returned to the office to reconsider. He said that the state is postponing its January plan to recall state workers in stages.

There is no scheduled Tuesday briefing.

The state continues to post a message on the coronavirus dashboard stating that data is incomplete with thousands of reports pending review due to a surge in testing across the state. Saturday’s new data pushed the state past 400,000 total cases. The state passed 300,000 cases on Nov. 16, meaning more than 100,000 cases have been added in less than two weeks.