Keep up with regular news updates regarding Columbus and Ohio’s response to COVID-19 here.
The Numbers
As of Tuesday, April 21, 1,155 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Columbus. In Franklin County, 1,557 confirmed and probable cases and 37 confirmed and probable deaths from COVID-19 have been reported.
Statewide, 13,725 cases and 556 deaths have been confirmed or are probable, and over 94,000 people have been tested so far.
Record Prison Cases
On Tuesday, the Marion Correctional Institution reported 2,011 inmates and 154 staff have tested positive for COVID-19. Yesterday, as over 1,900 inmate cases were confirmed in the facility, the caseload reportedly made Marion Correctional Institution the largest known source of coronavirus infections in the country.
Locally, the Franklin Medical Center treatment prison reports 107 inmates and 56 staff that have tested positive, with one death of an inmate.
Increasing Testing Capacity
A key part of the criteria released by the White House for states to “reopen” is a downward trajectory of documented cases within a 14-day period. In order to reach that goal, state officials say the state will need to increase its COVID-19 testing, which has so far focused on the most at-risk populations.
Governor Mike DeWine announced on Tuesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had approved a new reagent created by Columbus-based Thermo Fisher Scientific. The reagent is a chemical substance needed to analyze coronavirus tests. The governor said the approval will allow the state to increase its testing capacity, and reach some of the criteria outlined by the Trump administration.
More Updates
City Emergency Funding — City Council voted on Monday to provide nearly $5 million in emergency grant funding to Columbus social service agencies.
Through separate ordinances, the following organizations will receive funding: The Human Services Chamber of Franklin County and Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services will each receive $50,000; VoiceCorps will receive $80,000 for reading accessibility services; the Children’s Hunger Alliance will receive $100,000; Alvis 180 will receive $100,000 in support of its H.I.R.E. program; and Lifecare Alliance, the organization responsible for Meals on Wheels, will receive $400,000 to help the organization manage increased demand and $275,000 for the Senior Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program.
For more information on COVID-19 in Ohio, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH.