5 things to know about the coronavirus today: Rising university cases and the Red Alert Day of Action

According to new statistics released by the state, Montgomery and Butler counties are now in the top 10 counties in Ohio of coronavirus cases, based on population, likely fueled by high numbers of cases reported at schools and universities. Multiple other southwestern Ohio counties are also in the list, including Darke County as second, Mercer County in fifth and Shelby County in seventh.

Ohio to receive 9 million masks from FEMA

The Federal Emergency Management Agency donated 9 million masks to Ohio as part of a new mask-distribution program. These masks will be distributed among the Ohio Department of Education, programs and organizations serving vulnerable populations, the Ohio Department of Higher Education and the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services.

More cases reported at area universities

With classes in their first weeks, the University of Dayton, Miami University and now Wright State University are all reporting rising numbers of new positive coronavirus cases. On Tuesday, Wright State reported four students and one employee had tested positive at the Dayton campus. Meanwhile, a spike of cases in off-campus students at Miami University led officials to warn that the rise of cases jeopardized the students returning to campus.

Middletown reported a possible coronavirus exposure on city buses

After the discovery of an infected individual, the Middletown Health Department asked that people who were on buses on the MTS Blue Line, Red Line, Gold Line and Greene Line from Aug. 21-31 to self-monitor for two weeks after the last ride of any of these routes during those dates. Public health officials said that the risk of developing an infection is low, but called for the self-monitoring out of an abundance of caution.

Arts and entertainment organizations lit in red to raise awareness of the industry’s crisis

Local arts and entertainment organizations across the area joined more than 5,000 buildings across the continent to illuminate in red to raise awareness of the industry’s financial plight yesterday, on Red Alert Day of Action. The movement is intended to bring attention to the Save Our Stages and RESTART Act, as well as advocating an extension of Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.