COLUMBUS, Ohio — On Thursday afternoon, Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted held a briefing with the latest news on the state's response to the coronavirus pandemic in Columbus.
DeWine announced that Cuyahoga County has been removed from the watch list for Level 4 -- the highest level on the state's list. Nevertheless, DeWine warned that Cuyahoga County remains in a critical place and that its heightened coronavirus numbers appear to be the result of increased travel and recreational activity.
Due to an order issued last week, all counties in Ohio that meet the Level 3 criteria will mandate that masks be worn in public by all citizens. As of Thursday, 19 counties in the state are at that level.
The news conference at the Ohio Statehouse came just a day after DeWine held a televised address, urging all Ohioans to take the spread of COVID-19 seriously.
Despite speculation he might, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine didn't any issue any new orders on Wednesday.
But as he addressed the state regarding where it stands in its fight with the coronavirus (COVID-19), DeWine warned the need for Ohio to reverse its recent trends.
"If we do not change course, Florida and Arizona will be our future," DeWine said.
Florida and Arizona are two of the states that have fared worst with the coronavirus in recent weeks, with DeWine pointing to their recent tallies of caseloads. DeWine also noted that about a month ago, both Florida and Arizona sat where Ohio does currently, with the Buckeye State reporting 1,316 new coronavirus cases and 160 new hospitalizations on Wednesday.
While DeWine didn't issue any orders on Wednesday, he did state that he would do anything necessary to protect the people of the state. He also alluded to the possibility of measures such as future economic shutdowns if the state's numbers don't improve.
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