DeWine: COVID testing to increase six-fold by end of May

Gov. Mike DeWine announced testing breakthroughs -- more swabs and more reagent to analyze samples -- on Friday to escalate virus testing to 7,200 a day beginning next week, with the number to increase to 22,000 by late May. (Source: “Gov. Mike DeWine says ’breakthrough’ will increase Ohio testing six-fold by late May,” Newark Advocate, April 24, 2020).

DeWine announced testing breakthroughs -- more swabs and more reagent to analyze samples -- on Friday to dramatically escalate daily virus testing by late May.

The state on Friday announced 475 more confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases — a decrease from the previous day’s total of 577. Ohio’s number of daily new COVID-19 cases -- beyond Thursday’s jump -- has plateaued in a fairly consistent range but have not met the federal first-phase reopening guideline of a downward trajectory over 14 days.

The state reported 34 more deaths from the infectious respiratory disease. Total coronavirus cases since it first came to light in Ohio on March 9 now stand at 15,169, with 690 dying from COVID-19.

There again did not appear to be significant increases in virus cases in state prisons after about 80% of inmates have tested positive at both Marion Correctional Institution and Pickaway Correctional Institution. The prison death toll stands at 18 -- 11 inmates at Pickaway, four inmates and a corrections officer at Marion and two inmate patients at Franklin Medical Center in Columbus. The prison system has accounted for 28% of all statewide cases. Marion County reported one more death Friday that could stem from the prison.