Here are your morning headlines for Thursday, April 16:
- List of nursing homes with COVID-19 cases;
- Akron retirement community reports 7 deaths;
- Summa Health furloughs 360 employees;
- Cleveland suspends rent for West Side Market vendors;
- Ohio confirms 7,800 COVID-19 cases;
- Cleveland Clinic receives $5M, pledges for equipment;
- DeWine asks hospitals to form plan to resume elective surgeries;
- Cleveland police union requests $1,200 hazard pay for officers;
- Cleveland Indians partake in coronavirus study;
- COVID-19 cases rise in Ohio's prisons;
List of nursing homes with COVID-19 cases
The Ohio Department of Health has released a list of nursing homes that have reported COVID-19 cases among residents and staff, including those who may no longer have the disease. Counties with the most in Northeast Ohio include Cuyahoga County with 14 facilities reporting cases, Mahoning County has 10, and Summit County has seven. The list follows an order from Gov. Mike DeWine that mandates nursing homes to alert families if a case is confirmed in their facility.
To view the full list, click here.
Akron retirement community reports 7 deaths
An Akron retirement communityhas confirmed seven residents died from COVID-19. The Beacon Journal reports five other Ohio Living Rockynol residents are being treated for the disease. Eight employees and four contract staff members also have tested positive. At least 700 cases of the coronavirus have been reported in the state's nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
Summa Health furloughs 360 employees
Akron-based Summa Health is furloughing nearly 5% of its staff to balance out costs affected by the pandemic. It's unknown how long the furloughs of 360 employees will last. Cleveland Clinic and Akron Children's currently have no plans to lay off or furlough employees. Many hospitals are taking a hit by suspending elective surgeries, which was ordered by health department Director Amy Acton last month to preserve protective equipment.
Cleveland suspends rent for West Side Market vendors
Cleveland will suspend rent payments for West Side Market vendors until June to help with economic effects caused by the coronavirus. The city will also implement new social distancing guidelines at the market next week. Venders had been struggling before the pandemic. Many have reported issues with plumbing, electricity, heating and cooling. More than 40% of vendors had to close temporarily because they couldn't meet rent or payroll for employees.
Ohio confirms 7,800 COVID-19 cases
Ohio has confirmed nearly 7,800 COVID-19cases and 361 deaths. That's an increase of more than 500 cases from Wednesday. It's the largest day-to-day jump in cases in the last two weeks. Ohio's top health official Dr. Amy Acton believes a surge in cases will begin Sunday with about 1,600 confirmed cases. More than 2,200 people are hospitalized and nearly 30% of those cases have been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.
Cleveland Clinic receives $5M, pledges for equipment
The Cleveland Clinic has received $5 million in donations to help combat the coronavirus, as well as pledges to provide hundreds of thousands of pieces of protective equipment. Ninety companies have pledged to give more than one million gloves, around 120,000 face shields and 35,000 N95 masks. Gov. Mike DeWine has been calling on businesses and schools to donate protective equipment to hospitals because of a nationwide shortage.
DeWine asks hospitals to form plan to resume elective surgeries
Gov. Mike DeWine has asked the Ohio Hospital Association to come up with a plan for resuming elective surgeries. Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton ordered hospitals to postpone elective surgeries last month to free up bed space for COVID-19 patients and preserve protective equipment. DeWine said Ohio's outlook during the pandemic is improving and expects a plan by next week.
Cleveland police union requests $1,200 hazard pay for officers
Cleveland's police union is asking the city for extra funds for the 1,500 officers on duty during the pandemic.Cleveland.com reports Cleveland Patrolmen’s Association President Jeff Follmer sent a letter to city officials asking for an extra $1,200 per month for each officer because of risk of exposure and dangers posed to their families. The city hasn't commented on the letter, but Mayor Frank Jackson likely can approve the hazardous pay without city council's approval. Officers have been wearing masks, undergoing health screenings before shifts and patrolling neighborhoods with one officer per car.
Cleveland Indians partake in coronavirus study
The Cleveland Indians are among 27 major league teams taking part in a study that will test players for coronavirus antibodies. The study is led by Stanford University, the University of South Carolina and the Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory. It'll consist of self-administered tests, which are optional for club members. Major League Baseball officials said they won't pick a date to start the season until everyone feels safe
COVID-19 cases rise in Ohio's prisons
The number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in Ohio’s prisons. The state on Wednesday reported 475 additional confirmed daily cases and 37 more deaths statewide. Gov. Mike DeWine said hundreds of inmates with fewer than 90 days left in their sentences will be released early. Meanwhile, 26 Cuyahoga County Jail inmates have tested positive for the coronavirus and nine inmates are quarantined, according to Cleveland.com.
