Cincinnati has seen its first two deaths from the coronavirus, the city’s Health Commissioner Melba Moore confirmed on Monday.
The two men who died were ages 86 and 71 and both had pre-existing conditions, according to The Enquirer.
“On behalf of the entire City of Cincinnati, we express our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the patients who died as well as all families of those affected by this pandemic,” Mayor John Cranley said, according to Fox News affiliate Fox19.
With eight new deaths in Cincinnati’s home county of Hamilton County, the county’s total jumped from three to 13 in a single day, The Enquirer said. Hamilton County follows Mahoning County at 17 deaths and Cuyahoga County at 15 deaths.
There are currently 112 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Cincinnati, according to the Cincinnati Health Department. Cincinnati first confirmed cases of the coronavirus on March 20, saying that two males and one female with ages ranging from 31 to 70, according to the city’s Department of Health. It is unclear if these cases are related to the recently-announced deaths.
As of Monday, there are 4,450 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Ohio, according to the state’s Department of Health. There are more than 140 deaths in the state.
Ohio recently extended its stay-at-home order until May 1. The original order had been slated to end on April 6.
The extended order includes updates such as protocol to follow when two local health departments disagree on what constitutes an essential services and the requirement that essential business “determine and enforce” a maximum number of customers allowed into the store simultaneously.
“We understand that this is tough – it is very difficult. But, I would not be making these decisions if it wasn’t a mater of life and death,” said Gov. Mike DeWine in a statement. “We have to keep this monster down. It’s not dead – it’s very much alive.”
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Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Michigan Star. Follow her on Twitter at @JordynPair. Email her at [email protected].
Photo “Cincinnati Skyline” by Ynsalh CC4.0
