Andy Chow

The state is continuing to build up its contact tracing infrastructure through a partnership with local health departments as health officials tout the importance of matching contact tracing with testing to fight the coronavirus.

The state of Ohio is rolling out a new initiative to tackle the racial health disparity with COVID-19. U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) says there's a major issue the state and country can address in order to improve minority health; worker protection.

Deloitte, a consulting company contracted by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), is investigating a data breach in the system launched last week to pay benefits to 1099 and self-employed workers. A mass message was sent to applicants letting them know that their personal information was left unconcealed for a period of time.

Families that are part of their school district's free or reduced-price meal programs will soon receive assistance to help buy food through the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer program, which just received federal approval.

The latest round of state budget cuts to offset the economic impact of COVID-19 has caused many departments to reevaluate their programs, this includes the H2Ohio fund which sets money aside to keep Lake Erie, and other water sources, clean.

Ohio's budget report shows revenues came in below estimates for the sales tax, auto tax, and personal income tax.

The federal government is in the process of sending out checks to most Americans as part of the stimulus package responding to the economic fallout of the coronavirus. U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) talk about some of the next steps they'd like to see from Congress.

The state is seeing a steady increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases and a steeper rise in the number of deaths. However, medical researchers are putting out models showing the potential peak of coronavirus is getting lower.

Gov. Mike DeWine is asking county judges to hold hearings for the possible release of inmates who are pregnant, recently gave birth, or over the age of 60 with little time left in their sentence.

Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton says the state could be looking at issuing protocols for all hospital staff in order to help preserve personal protection equipment or PPE.