Election postponed, graduations canceled over virus in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio marked St. Patrick’s Day on Tuesday with no parades and no primary election over fears of the coronavirus outbreak. Health Director Dr. Amy Acton issued an order late Monday shutting down polls Tuesday after a judge refused to stop the election. A look at the latest developments in Ohio:

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CASES

As of Monday, there were over 65 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Ohio. There have been no reported deaths in the state. Drive-up testing by hospitals was offered Tuesday in Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Dayton, among other cities.

For most people, the virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death. The vast majority of people recover.

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ELECTIONS

The Ohio Democratic Party sued Tuesday to stop Secretary of State Frank LaRose from moving the primary to June 2, as LaRose did in an order late Monday. The lawsuit says only the Legislature has that power. LaRose’s office didn’t immediately respond.

Late Monday, Ohio Health Director Dr. Amy Acton had ordered polls not to open over concerns about the coronavirus, hours before voters were supposed begin casting ballots in the state’s presidential primary.

Gov. Mike DeWine said that the decision was necessary during an unprecedented health crisis and that he fully supported Acton’s move. House Republicans scheduled sessions next week to address the primary delay.

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PREVENTION

DeWine said Tuesday an order would be issued soon, in cooperation with hospitals, limiting surgical procedures to lifesaving and otherwise serious surgery to free up bed space for what’s expected to be a surge in cases. DeWine also said new “temporary pandemic child care centers” will be allowed for health and safety workers whose presence at jobs is needed to protect the public from the coronavirus.

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COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

Ohio State University and Capital University in Columbus, Youngstown State University, and the University of Findlay were among those announcing the cancellation of May commencement ceremonies, saying they couldn’t comply with restrictions severely limiting the size of gatherings.

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JOBS

With numerous businesses ordered temporarily closed, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services said it had received 48,640 unemployment insurance benefit applications online in just two days this week, compared to typical filings of a few hundred. Restaurants are among the hardest-hit businesses because of restrictions on dining in. The Ohio Restaurant Association says Ohio has about 22,500 food service locations with 585,000 total employees. It urged people to consider takeout and pickup options. Ohio’s investor-owned utilities suspended disconnections for customers with past-due bills.

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ST. PATRICK’S DAY

Multiple St. Patrick’s Day parades were canceled in the past few days, including Tuesday in Columbus, one of the few Ohio cities that holds the parade on the holiday itself.

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RELIGION

Ohio’s Roman Catholic bishops suspended all publicly celebrated Masses through Easter on April 12, extending an earlier suspension of services through Palm Sunday one week earlier.

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QUOTE

“The last thing that any of us want is for a funeral or a wedding to be the cause of someone else dying.” - DeWine, urging people to limit gatherings even though it may involve “very difficult” decisions for families.

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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.