About 75 people wearing masks and carrying signs protested outside the Ohio Statehouse, calling on Republican Gov. Mike DeWine to reopen businesses and questioning the models used by Health Director Dr. Amy Acton to continue her shelter-at-home order.DeWine, who noted during his daily briefing that he could hear the protesters, said he understood their frustration and supported their right to protest. He said Ohio must continue its measures, but promised the shut-down would not last "one day longer than we have to.”One sign from a protester read "quarantine worse than virus." Another read "Amy Acton -- most dangerous woman in Ohio."Nearly 700,000 people filed for unemployment in the last three weeks, the state Department of Job and Family Services said, almost double the 364,603 claims filed in all of 2019. The 226,007 claims filed for the week ending April marked the second consecutive week that claims topped 200,000.Ohio has paid more than $124 million so far to more than 195,000 people who have filed unemployment claims, Job and Family Services Director Kimberly Hall said on Wednesday.More than 5,500 people in Ohio have tested positive for the virus and 213 have died, with more than 1,700 hospitalizations as of Thursday, according to the state health department. Men make up 65% of the deaths, and 35% are women. About 55,000 people have been tested.

About 75 people wearing masks and carrying signs protested outside the Ohio Statehouse, calling on Republican Gov. Mike DeWine to reopen businesses and questioning the models used by Health Director Dr. Amy Acton to continue her shelter-at-home order.

DeWine, who noted during his daily briefing that he could hear the protesters, said he understood their frustration and supported their right to protest. He said Ohio must continue its measures, but promised the shut-down would not last "one day longer than we have to.”


One sign from a protester read "quarantine worse than virus." Another read "Amy Acton -- most dangerous woman in Ohio."

Nearly 700,000 people filed for unemployment in the last three weeks, the state Department of Job and Family Services said, almost double the 364,603 claims filed in all of 2019. The 226,007 claims filed for the week ending April marked the second consecutive week that claims topped 200,000.

Ohio has paid more than $124 million so far to more than 195,000 people who have filed unemployment claims, Job and Family Services Director Kimberly Hall said on Wednesday.

More than 5,500 people in Ohio have tested positive for the virus and 213 have died, with more than 1,700 hospitalizations as of Thursday, according to the state health department. Men make up 65% of the deaths, and 35% are women. About 55,000 people have been tested.