Keep up with regular news updates regarding Columbus and Ohio’s response to COVID-19 here.
The Numbers
COVID-19 cases — As of Monday, May 4, 2,390 cases of COVID-19 have been reported or are probable in Columbus and Worthington. Countywide, 2,988 confirmed and probable cases and 84 confirmed and probable deaths from COVID-19 have been reported.
Statewide, 20,474 cases and 1,056 deaths are confirmed or probable.
New Charts and Snapshots
On Monday, the Ohio Department of Health unveiled 21-day trend charts — which depicts the difference in the total reported cases, deaths, hospitalizations and ICU admissions from the previous day — at the request of Governor Mike DeWine. Previously the health department simply showed five-day trends.
Based on these key indicators, the state has generally been on a downward trend in the last three weeks.
Cases last peaked on April 19, deaths last peaked on April 29, hospitalizations last peaked on April 21 and ICU admissions last peaked April 22.
Locally, this chart from Columbus Public Health shows that newly reported cases in Columbus and Franklin County began trending upward in the final days of April. (The chart comes from a report released by CPH on Friday, May 1, and includes cases reported through Thursday, April 30.)
The charts depict the daily number of newly-reported cases in Central Ohio not the difference in total reported cases from the previous day, as seen in the state’s chart.
More Updates
BMVs — Lt. Governor Jon Husted said on Monday that the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, with InnovateOhio, is in the process of building out its “Get In Line, Online” service to allow for customers to register online and individual locations to space customers out. The program, announced in June of last year, is already underway at 20 locations, including nine in Central Ohio.
BMV locations will reopen statewide sometime in May, said Lt. Gov. Husted. An exact date is to be determined.
Latest Round of United Way Funding — United Way of Central Ohio’s third round of grants from its COVID-19 Community Response Fund have been distributed to Central Ohio organizations in support of food and rental assistance, child care, education, and transportation. The organizations include those under newly expanded eligibility.
$473,070 in additional funding has been given to 36 local nonprofits, including seven nonprofits that serve immigrants and New Americans, and that have not been funding partners before.
Newly partnered organizations that received funding include Asian-American Community Services, Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio, Ohio Hispanic Coalition and US Together, Inc.
Funds also went to existing partners, including the Columbus Urban League, Kaleidoscope Youth Center, Dominican Sisters of Peace and the Community Shelter Board.
For more information on COVID-19 in Ohio, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH.