Ohio steps in to help at federal prison

SANDUSKY — Gov. Mike DeWine announced Monday he is sending in the Ohio National Guard to provide help at a federal prison in Elkton, Ohio, that's been hammered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The governor, speaking at the daily state news conference in Columbus, said the Federal Correctional Institution, Elkton, in Columbiana County in eastern Ohio, has been hit hard by coronavirus. DeWine said three inmates have died, seven have tested positive for the virus and dozens more have shown symptoms. It's a federal prison with federal prisoners from all over the U.S. and therefore isn't run by the state, but DeWine said the Ohio National Guard looked at the situation and found out medical staffing at the federal prison is only half of what it should be. DeWine said he has therefore ordered 26 members of the Ohio National Guard who work in the medical field to go help in the federal prison. They are unarmed but will be wearing N95 masks and other protective equipment. They will be there for seven to 10 days until more federal assistance arrives, DeWine said. "Providing state help for this federal prison is the right thing to do," DeWine said. He said he has asked federal authorities not to put any additional men into the prison. "That's something we feel very, very strongly about," DeWine said. DeWine said family members of Elkton prison inmates have asked for their loved ones to be set free. DeWine pointed out he has no authority to do that. Ohio has 4,450 confirmed COVID-19 cases on Monday, with 142 deaths so far. Erie County has now had 10 cases confirmed, with eight hospitalizations and one death. There have been nine cases so far in Huron County, five cases in Sandusky County and five cases in Ottawa County. The United States had 356,942 cases as of Monday, according to the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 dashboard. The CDC said the U.S. has now had 8,910 deaths. Worldwide, there were 1,331,032 cases on Monday, according to Johns Hopkins. Spain now has 135,032 cases, well behind the U.S. and just ahead of Italy. There have been 73,917 deaths worldwide, with 16,523 deaths in Italy, followed by a high death toll in Spain, France and the United Kingdom. DeWine said in Ohio's prisons, 10 inmates and 27 staffers have tested positive. More steps to free state prisoners early will be announced Tuesday, he said. "We're not going to release anyone who's dangerous. We are not releasing sex offenders, for example," he said. The governor said "snowbirds" returning to Ohio after wintering in Florida and other warm states should self-quarantine for 14 days, relying upon others to obtain groceries. That quarantine instruction applies to all travelers coming into Ohio, clarified Jack Marchbanks, director of the Ohio Department of Transportation, but does not apply to truckers, medical workers or people who routinely commute across state borders to go to work. DeWine announced as Ohio continues to try to double its hospital capacity, six sites have been selected to serve as temporary alternative hospitals that will provide additional beds. The six are (1) Seagate Convention Center, Lucas County; (2) Case Western University's Health Education Campus, Cuyahoga County; (3) Dayton Convention Center, Montgomery County; (4) Covelli Convention Center, Mahoning County; (5) Duke Energy Convention Center, Hamilton County and (6) Greater Columbus Convention Center, Franklin County. Mildly ill patients will be at these six locations, with traditional hospitals reserved for the most seriously ill, DeWine said. The Erie County Health Department is leasing the former Genacross Lutheran Services home to provide additional beds if Firelands Regional Medical Center cannot handle the additional expected surge of patients. Lt. Gov. Jon Husted reported the new Dispute Resolution Commission is now ready to resolve disputes over differing interpretations of the state's stay-at-home order from health departments. The body will resolve disagreements affecting businesses that are in more than one county. The panel includes Ohio Department of Commerce Director Sheryl Maxfield, Development Services Agency Director Lydia Mihalik, and Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Chairman Sam Randazzo.