



Summit County confirmed its second diagnosed case of coronavirus Saturday as the state’s total number of cases doubled to 26.

The case involves a woman in her late 40s who is hospitalized and contracted COVID-19 from community spread, Summit County Health Commissioner Donna Skoda said. Patients’ hometowns are not being released.

Officials announced Friday afternoon that a Summit County woman in her 50s had tested positive for COVID-19. The woman apparently didn’t travel to a high-risk country or have exposure to a known patient with the virus, Skoda said.

Nearby Cuyahoga County now has 11 cases, while Stark County has three as additional unconfirmed reports of more positive tests swirled around the state.

Later Saturday, a 38-year-old man being treated at Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital became the first presumptive case of coronavirus in Tuscarawas County, health officials there announced. The man is recovering well.

"We know that community spread is here. The individual that contracted the illness had no known travel history as well as no contact with anyone who had been tested positive for COVID-19," said Tuscarawas County Health Commissioner Katie Seward.

Another 264 people are under investigation for the virus in Ohio as of Saturday evening.

The state has asked dentists and veterinarians to postpone elective surgeries, Gov. Mike DeWine said Saturday during his daily briefing on COVID-19. The governor went on to say that it would be great if all health care providers could postpone elective surgeries to free up medical supplies and beds.

"We’re in this for the long run. This is not going to end overnight, so people have to understand that ... I think we all have to start looking at this as if it is going to be here for a while," DeWine said.

Ohio hospitals are working together to create a set of criteria for what surgeries can be postponed, said Dr. Andrew Thomas, senior associate vice president for health sciences and chief clinical officer at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center.

Dr. Amy Acton, director of the Ohio Department of Health, said there is a real shortage of surgical masks and supplies.

The state has received its shipment from the national stockpile of medical equipment and masks, but Acton said that still won’t be enough. The coming days are likely to "tax any modern health care system," Acton said.

So far patients in Ohio started showing symptoms as early as Feb. 7 and as late as March 13, Acton said.

Of the confirmed cases, people range in age from 34 to 86. There are 12 females and 14 males who were diagnosed with COVID-19. Seven Ohioans have been hospitalized, and there have been no deaths, Acton said.

"We are on the upswing, and a week or two makes all the difference. ... we have to save lives and keep people from getting sick," Acton said.

Many people likely don’t know they have the virus and are spreading it throughout Ohio, DeWine said. The virus is considered twice as contagious as the flu and also 20 times more deadly, the governor said.

DeWine again brought up child care facilities Saturday but has not yet ordered them to close. He said health experts recommend parents pull their kids out of day cares if possible.

DeWine also brought up people struggling with mental health issues Saturday. He encouraged people who might need to isolate themselves because of the virus to reach out to people digitally or in ways that can avoid in-person contact.

The governor also suggested that doctors rely more on telehealth services as COVID-19 spreads.

Lori Criss, director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, announced that the state will relax its regulations regarding psychiatric telehealth so that people can seek treatment without meeting in person. State psychiatric facilities will also provide patients the opportunity to video chat with family since visitors have been banned from the facilities, Criss said.

Despite the outbreak, Criss asked patients not to skip appointments if they need them. She asked that they call the state’s call center if they have any questions.

"We're all dealing with a new way of living that is temporary but is really impacting us in very personal ways," Criss said.

Statewide, there are 264 people who are awaiting test results and 85 people who have tested negative for the disease, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

Acton has said that as much as 40% of Ohio's population could eventually contract COVID-19.

More businesses canceled events and limited audiences late this week.

Casinos and racinos, which had remained open Friday, were warned to Friday afternoon to comply with the governor’s order to limit attendance to fewer than 100 people. Movie theaters were forced to limit their attendees, due to the governor’s orders.

Mark Ferenchik, Bill Bush, Marc Kovac and Max Filby of the Columbus Dispatch contributed to this report along with Sean McDonnell of the Akron Beacon Journal and Jon Baker of the Times Reporter.