5 things to know about coronavirus: President could be discharged today, was ‘up and well’ Sunday

Today is Monday, Oct. 5, and here are five things to know about the coronavirus pandemic.

President could be back in White House today

President Donald Trump could be discharged from the hospital and back in the White House as early as today, his doctors revealed on Sunday. The president was flown to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Friday after he announced he and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for coronavirus.

Dr. Brian Garibaldi, a specialist in pulmonary critical care, said that the president was "up and well' and that the doctors were keeping him “out of bed” as much as possible, the Associate Press reported.

No coronavirus deaths reported Sunday

Ohio did not have any deaths related to coronavirus reported on Sunday, according to the state health department. Cases increased by 941 and hospitalizations went up by 32. So far during the pandemic, 158,907 total cases and 4,925 deaths have been reported.

Gov. Mike DeWine expressed concern on Friday after nearly 1,500 new cases reported. He said now is the time for Ohioans to take control of the virus, especially with health officials predicting cases could spike during the winter as people spend more time indoors. The governor also noted that the date deaths are reported do not reflect the day the death occurred. It is instead when the Ohio Department of Health is informed of the death.

DeWine urges those who attended Trump events to get tested

Gov. Mike DeWine encouraged any Ohioans who went to recent campaign events involving the president or his son to get tested for coronavirus.

President Trump visited the Dayton International Airport on Sept. 21 and participated in the presidential debate in Cleveland on Tuesday, Sept. 29. His son Donald Trump Jr. attended a rally in Tipp City on Sept. 30 after joining the president at the debate the day before.

DeWine said Friday he’s unaware of any outbreak related to the events in Dayton or Toledo, where the president visited after leaving here.

Biden tests negative for virus

Presidential candidate Joe Biden tested negative for coronavirus on Sunday, the Associated Press reported.

Biden, who was on stage with President Trump for 90 minutes during the debate in Cleveland last week, also tested negative on Friday.

Attorney General William Barr said he will self-quarantine on Sunday after the president and other lawmakers and aides tested positive for the virus, according to AP.

U.S. Reps. Jim Jordan and Mike Turner, Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted all tested negative for the virus on Friday.

Jordan had traveled with the president on Air Force One to the presidential debate.

Local senior centers strike a balance while reopening

Senior centers across the Miami Valley are working to balance safety with the need for socialization as centers continue to reopen.

Gov. Mike DeWine announced senior centers and adult day centers could reopen starting Sept. 21. The centers must operate with a limited capacity, screens all participants and staff and keep a daily log. All staff and volunteers will be tested every 14 days.

Though some local centers have opted not to reopen due to health concerns, others hope that reopening will give seniors an opportunity to combat the loneliness of quarantine.

““These people are at home and lonely and don’t have anything to do,” said Jeff Webb, director of environmental health for Greene County Public Health. "It’s good for their mental health to be able to associate with other people.”

About the Author