COVID-19 Alert - September 29

By the Numbers:

• Individuals Tested:  3,132,735

• 88 counties with at least one case

• Ages range from less than one year old to 109 years of age, with a median age of 40

• State of Ohio COVID-19 dashboard: https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/home/dashboard

• Total Cases: 152,907 (16,303 of which are health care workers)

• Case Increase in Last 24-Hour Period: 1,105

• 21 Day Reported Case Average: 996

• Total Deaths:  4,783

• Deaths Reported in Last 24-Hour Period: 37

• 21 Day Reported Death Average: 23

• Total Hospitalizations: 15,413 (3,274 of which are in the intensive care unit)

• Hospitalization Increase in last 24-Hour Period: 106

• 21 Day Reported Hospitalizations Average: 69

Wastewater Testing Update:

• Governor DeWine provided an update today on the Ohio Coronavirus Wastewater Monitoring Network which tests wastewater for gene fragments of COVID-19. 

• Those infected with COVID-19 begin to shed the virus early in their infection, and a significant, sustained increase in gene fragments found in wastewater can be an early warning sign of a pending rise in COVID-19 cases in a specific area. The value of this information is that gives communities an opportunity to act proactively to prevent outbreaks.

• Since the launch of the monitoring program, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has notified health authorities in six communities of a sustained increase in gene fragments found in their wastewater: Dayton, Columbus, Akron, Oregon, Sandusky, and Mansfield. 

• ODH is currently monitoring 36 sites across the state and an additional 25 sites will be added during the coming month. Communities found with a sustained increase in gene fragments are offered testing and contact tracing assistance.

• The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC), in partnership with Ohio State University, has also begun monitoring wastewater at Ohio's prisons to prevent spread among staff and inmates. A sustained increase in COVID-19 gene fragments in a prison's wastewater will trigger a series of actions within the prison to prevent spread, including the testing of all staff. Staff members working in prisons free of COVID-19 will have access to on-site voluntary testing.

Ohio Department of Medicaid Overhaul:

• Tomorrow, the Ohio Department of Medicaid will open a new application for businesses interested in providing managed care plans for children and adults within the Medicaid program. The request for proposals is part of a new vision for Ohio’s Medicaid program that focuses on people - not just the business of managed care.  

• Medicaid’s new program will focus on improving care for children with complex needs, emphasizing personalized care experience, improving wellness and health outcomes, and increasing transparency and accountability across managed care. 

• A second managed care application will be issued later this fall to specifically serve children who have complex behavioral health needs through a program called Ohio RISE. It will work to build up evidence-based care coordination and behavioral health programs throughout the state, ensuring access for more children and better outcomes.

• Changes to Ohio’s managed care plans will not disrupt Ohioans' coverage or access to care.

Individual Microcredential Assistance Program:

• Lt. Governor Husted, who serves as Director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, announced today that Ohioans can now access training at no cost through 12 training providers under the Individual Microcredential Assistance Program (IMAP).

• Following the July application period, 12 training providers including community colleges, universities, Ohio technical centers, private providers, and non-profits received awards through IMAP. These providers will offer training for 71 short-term, industry-recognized, and technology-focused credentials to help upskill Ohioans for the increasingly tech-infused economy. Through IMAP, up to 1,694 Ohioans have the opportunity to earn a credential at no cost to them.

• Ohioans who are low income, partially unemployed, or totally unemployed can visit the IMAP landing page at IMAP.Development.Ohio.gov to work directly with the awarded training provider of their choice to enroll in the training program that works best for them. The IMAP landing page lists the eligible training providers and the credentials Ohioans can earn under the program, along with examples of jobs each credential can help an individual obtain.

• Ohio businesses interested in connecting with the Ohioans earning these credentials can contact the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation at Workforce@OWT.Ohio.gov.