Cleveland Covid-19 (Coronavirus) Update 20200321:
March 21, 2020, 3:15 p.m. EDT
Confirmed Cases
In the past 24 hours, Metropolitan Cleveland has confirmed 36 new cases, an increase of 36.4% from yesterday, for a current total of 135 cases. Cuyahoga County also had its first fatality. Also, during the past 24 hours, the number of confirmed cases in Ohio increased by 78 cases, or 46.2%, while the US saw an increase of 5,572 cases, or 33.6%, and the worldwide increase was 31,008 cases, or 11.7%. The higher rate of increase in Ohio vs. the US vs. the world, may be attributable to the number of tests being administered in Ohio compared to the US as whole and the US as a whole finally catching up to other countries in terms of testing. Note, though, that not all persons with symptoms are being tested and some persons may be infected but asymptomatic and untested. Details by geography:
Metropolitan Cleveland (Cuyahoga, Lorain, Medina, Summit, Portage, Geauga, and Lake Counties): 135 cases - previous day’s report: 99. Change: 36.4%.
Cuyahoga County: 92 cases - previous day’s report: 69. Change: 33.3%. Of these cases, 17 are in the City of Cleveland. In Cuyahoga County: 1 fatality in the past 24 hours.
Lorain County: 14 cases - previous day’s report: 10. Change: 40.0%.
Medina County: 9 cases - previous day’s report: 6. Change: 50.0%.
Summit County: 15 cases - previous day’s report: 10. Change: 50.0%.
Portage County: 0 cases - previous day’s report: 0. Change: 0.0%.
Geauga County: 1 case - previous day’s report: 1. Change: 0.0%.
Lake County: 4 cases - previous day’s report: 3. Change: 33.3%.
Ohio: 247 cases - previous day’s report: 169. Change: 46.2% Individuals range in age from 1 to 91. Within the last 24 hours, Ohio reported two additional fatalities, bringing the total to three: in Lucas County (1st fatality), and in Erie and Cuyahoga Counties.
Ohio hospitalizations: 58; previous day’s report: 39. Change: 48.7%.
US: 22,177 cases- previous day’s report: 16,605. Change: 33.6%.
US fatalities: 278 - previous day’s report: 210. Change: 32.4%.
US recoveries: 147.
Worldwide: 297,090 cases - previous day’s report: 266,082. Change: 11.7%. Worldwide excluding the US: 10.2%.
Worldwide fatalities: 12,755 - Previous day’s report: 11,147. Change: 14.4%.
Worldwide recoveries: 91,540.
Data sources: For City of Cleveland, City of Cleveland; for Ohio and each Ohio county, Ohio Department of Health; for US and World numbers: Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center.
Public Support Lines for Questions/Concerns
MetroHealth: Dedicated MetroHealth support line for questions/concerns: 440-592-6843 (440-59-COVID)
Ohio Department of Health 24/7 hotline: 833-427-5634 (833.4.ASK.ODH)
Cuyahoga County Board of Public Health Clinic: 216-201-2041
City of Cleveland, Department of Public Health: See numbers here.
US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention: 800-232-4636 (800-CDC-INFO) or website.
Drive-Thru Coronavirus Testing
Drive through testing is offered by the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, and Metro. Testing will not be for anyone simply upon request, as test kits and capacity are still limited. Advanced approval/consultation is required. Testing locations:
University Circle: Cleveland Clinic testing center: the W.O. Walker Building parking garage, at 10524 Euclid Ave, at E. 105 St. and Euclid Ave., 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. Patients should enter the garage from E. 105th St. A Cleveland Clinic provider’s order is required for testing. The Clinic is prioritizing testing for certain groups, defined as being symptomatic AND of various criteria including age 61 and older, age under 36 months, on immunosuppressive therapy, and several other criteria. For more details, click here.
Mayfield Hts: University Hospitals (UH) testing center: UH Landerbrook Health Center, 5850 Landerbrook Drive, Mayfield Heights. Enter off Cedar Road onto Landerbrook Drive between Cedar and Brainard Roads: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. To receive a COVID-19 test here, you must have a UH physician’s order. UH: “Patients of any age will be tested regardless of ability to pay, and no copays will be charged. To alleviate delays, patients will be assigned a 30-minute time slot to arrive for testing.” More info.
MetroHealth: Results in two hours, but testing supplies and capacity are limited. For more information, call the MetroHealth hotline at 440-592-6843. More info.
Metro-Health Location Closures
MetroHealth System announced the following location closures (More info):
Health Care Centers: Brunswick, Gordon Square (LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland), Medina, Rocky River, and State Road (North Royalton)
Discount Drug Mart Sites: Independence, North Royalton, Olmsted Falls, and Parma Heights
MetroHealth is also delivering prescriptions as a complimentary service. For prescription questions, call 216-957-6337 (216-957-MEDS).
Airports and Air Service
Cleveland Hopkins International (CLE), Cleveland Burke Lakefront (BKL), and Akron-Canton (CAK) remain open. To support reductions throughout its network, United is parking 10-20 737s at Cleveland Hopkins for the foreseeable future. A TSA screener at Hopkins, at Checkpoint “A” Security (also called “North Checkpoint”) tested positive for COVID-19. Per the TSA, the screener’s last shift was from 4am to noon on Saturday, March 14.
All airlines are reducing service levels—some drastically—check with your airline for specific flights. Known current reductions and changes:
Cleveland Hopkins (CLE):
Effective 12:01am Sunday, March 22, all TSA screening at Hopkins will be at Checkpoint “C” Security (South Checkpoint). TSA-Pre-Check will also be at this location.
Brown Lot at Hopkins has temporarily closed; vehicles currently in the lot can exit without charge. The Brown Lot shuttle service ceased today, March 21, at 10:00 a.m. For access to the lot after this time, passengers can use a CLE taxi near baggage claim 11 for free.
FAA ground delay programs in effect at Las Vegas (LAS), due to staffing issues at the ATC tower. Currently, average delays into LAS are 4 hours and 47 minutes. There may also be delays into New York-JFK as well as the tower was under “unscheduled cleaning.”
AC: Around April 1, Air Canada service to/from Toronto (YYZ) will be suspended as AC US services are reduced per the closure of the US-Canada border to non-essential travel.
DL: Reduced service on CLE-Hartford (BDL) and CLE-Raleigh/Durham (RDU).
Southwest: After 15 April, CLE-Milwaukee (MKE) will operate on Sundays only.
Lounges: While United has suspended operations at some of its lounges, the United Club on Concourse C remains operational at this time.
Burke Lakefront (BKL):
Ultimate Air: All BKL-Cincinnati (LUK) flights are suspended until further notice.
Akron-Canton (CAK):
UA: United is suspending EWR-CAK and IAH-CAK.
Amtrak
Two routes serve Cleveland:
Lakeshore Limited: Chicago-Cleveland-New York/Boston: Operating normal service
Capitol Limited: Chicago-Cleveland-Pittsburgh-Washington, DC: Operating normal service
Local Trains & Buses
Cleveland RTA: The Regional Transit Authority is operating normal service on all trains and buses. RTA states it will “clean every train every 24 hours. RTA will also continue to disinfect buses and paratransit vehicles every 24 hours.” Three Cleveland RTA employees were under quarantine after possible exposure on cruises. Two RTA employees tested negative; the third developed no symptoms and remains under quarantine.
Laketran: Operating normal service.
Akron Metro: Route x60 Akron-Downtown Cleveland is suspended effective Monday, March 23.
Schools and School Meals
CMSD: All schools remain closed. From CMSD: “The District will supply free lunch to go, along with breakfast for the next day, for pickup at 22 elementary schools located strategically across the city. The meals will be distributed Monday through Friday. The food is available to children 18 and younger, even if they are not CMSD students. CMSD will provide yellow bus shuttle service to and from the food pickup sites for those who need transportation. Also, RTA will honor students' bus passes while the schools are closed.” School meal pickup locations and shuttle services details can be found here.
Suburban and Non-CMSD Schools in the City: All schools are closed, per order of the State of Ohio. For information on school breakfasts/lunches, seek information from your local school or district.
Grab & go meals for kids
From the City of Cleveland: “The City is partnering with the Children’s Hunger Alliance to temporarily provide meals for youth throughout the city. The new program will last for the next two weeks. Meals are available Saturday, March 21 and Saturday, March 28 from noon to 1 p.m. and Mondays-Fridays from 4-5 p.m. All City recreation centers are participating with the exception of Kovacic, Cudell Fine Arts and Camp Forbes.” Full list of the city’s recreation centers here—including those not participating in the meal program. (The Rec Centers themselves remain closed.)
PARKs
At this time, all parks remain open. However some facilities are closed at the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Details here.
Libraries
Cleveland Public Library: Main Library and all branches are closed including its meal program; however, digital and streaming services, including e-books, audiobooks, movies, and music, are still available.
Cuyahoga County Public Library: All branches and book drops are closed “through April 5”.
Lakewood Public: Main Library and Madison Branch are closed, however the drive-through window at Lakewood’s Main Library will remain open for materials pickup. Patrons can place holds online, call for materials pickup and call the Library with reference questions.
Rocky River Public Library: Closed until further notice.
Westlake Public Library: Closed with tentative plans to reopen Monday, April 6.
Euclid Public Library: Closed until further notice.
Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library: Closed until further notice.
Akron-Summit County Public Library system: Closed “until at least Monday, April 6”.
Note: As with CPL, digital services of suburban libraries may still be available.
Economic relief by ThE City
Mayor Jackson stated Thursday night (19 March) that he will be submitting legislation to City Council on Monday that would authorize the City’s economic development director to defer payment on most loans issued by the city for six months and would assist businesses seeking to obtain deferment on loans issued by other lenders. Details of the Mayor’s plan and information on programs at the state and federal level can be found here.
City Services
City Hall will be open Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for limited public services. On Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, City Hall will be closed. All City of Cleveland recreation centers are closed. Most city departments are closed with no available public services (e.g., City Planning, Community Relations, Office of Sustainability, Department of Building & Housing, Board of Zoning Appeals, Office of Fair Housing & Consumer Affairs, Finance, Law); some are open with limited services (e.g., Department of Aging, Department of Public Health--Office of Vital Statistics, Department of Public Utilities, Department of Economic Development). Public Safety functions (Police, Fire, EMS, Animal Control) will continue to operate. A full list of city services that are suspended or will continue to operate can be found here.
Proclamation of civil emergency
On March 11, Mayor Jackson declared a Civil Emergency effective 1300, 11 March until 2359, 31 March 2020, though it may be extended as deemed necessary.
GloBAL Statistics & Resources
Johns Hopkins University: Details by countries/geography.
END OF UPDATE
Cleveland and COVID-19
This page intends to serve as a central source of information on Cleveland and COVID-19 (Coronavirus). It focuses on health and on public sector and transportation issues and services (and does not cover restaurants, bars, museums, or other public places). It will be updated daily and more frequently if need be.
As the current COVID-19 threat environment is continually changing, some of the information contained here may have changed and/or new developments may have occurred. This page will be updated regularly. Please send any omissions, changes, or corrections to covid19update [at] centerforcleveland.org.
Previous updates
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