Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Health director Dr. Amy Acton leave the coronavirus news conference in which they announced the first Ohio death on Friday, March 20, 2020 at the Ohio Statehouse. (Doral Chenoweth/The Columbus Dispatch via AP)

COLUMBUS — With the first confirmed death from COVID-19 in Ohio, a somber Gov. Mike DeWine said: “We have now entered a new phase in our battle with” the virus.

“This phase is not unexpected, but it is tragic nonetheless,” DeWine said Friday during his daily news conference on the pandemic.

The governor confirmed the victim is Mark Wagoner Sr. of the Toledo area, an attorney, former Lucas County Board of Elections member, a prominent Republican and someone he knew well. Wagoner’s son, Mark Wagoner, is Lucas County Republican Party chairman.

Dr. Amy Acton, director of the Ohio Department of Health, acknowledged that “unfortunately” the state “will see more” deaths from the virus.”

But “it won’t last forever. It will pass,” she said.

DeWine also offered words of hope.

“We will get through this,” he said. “The sun will come out and shine upon our state, our beautiful Ohio.”

As of Friday afternoon, there were 169 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in Ohio, up from 119 a day earlier. Also, Acton said a 1-year-old was diagnosed with the virus.

Of those with the virus, 39 were hospitalized as of Friday afternoon, up from 33 Thursday.

The number in Mahoning County increased Friday to seven cases, up two from Thursday. At least two of the seven are hospitalized, said Ryan Tekac, county health commissioner.

In Trumbull County, another case was confirmed Friday bringing the total to three. Columbiana County recorded its first case on Friday.

Also Friday, DeWine issued executive orders effective at the end of business Monday to close all senior citizen centers and daycare facilities for seniors because of the pandemic.

Food programs at senior centers will provide meals delivered to the homes of those who normally get them at those facilities, he said.

TO SAVE LIVES

“Throughout this crisis, I have tried to balance the safety of the people of Ohio, but also try to achieve the continuation of essential services to keep our economy moving,” DeWine said. “I’m fully aware that some of our orders have caused people to lose jobs. Each order was agonized over. We made these decisions to save lives.”

Ohio Job and Family Services reported Friday that the number of new unemployment claims filed between Sunday and Thursday was 139,468 compared to 4,815 during the same five-day period a week earlier.

While most businesses have complied with his orders to close or other restrictions, DeWine said some are not by “recklessly risking the lives of their employees, their families, and everyone those employees come in contact with. This must stop. Please do what is right.”

Also Friday, the Ohio Department of Insurance issued an order that insurers must permit employers to continue covering employees under group health insurance policies even if the worker is no longer eligible for coverage because of decreased hours. Employers will have a grace period of up to 60 days to pay insurance premiums to providers interest-free.

“We can’t panic over this because we’re going to be doing this for a while,” DeWine said of the pandemic. “Come up with a routine for how you want to live that is consistent with the new reality that we have to live under.”

He added: “We’ve been attacked, not by an enemy, but by this God-awful virus.”

PRIMARY ELECTION

DeWine also discussed the delayed primary election that was to be held Tuesday. Secretary of State Frank LaRose has postponed it until June 2, but others, including state legislators, say he doesn’t have that authority. The General Assembly is expected to meet next week to determine when the primary will be held and if there will be in-person voting.

DeWine said at a minimum the state needs time for people to get ballots by mail.

“We’re conducting this while a war is going on,” he said.

Regarding in-person voting, DeWine said, “I don’t know.”

The Ohio House Democratic Caucus on Friday recommended conducting a vote-by-mail-only election with an April 28 deadline for mailing in ballots and a reasonable grace period for return.

“We cannot risk further chaos and jeopardize the health of everyday Ohioans by scheduling another in-person primary during this deadly pandemic,” said House Democratic Leader Emilia Strong Sykes, D-Akron. “We cannot predict the spread of the virus will be better in April, May or June.”

Meanwhile, Youngstown Health Commissioner Erin Bishop ordered Friday that the public and non-essential employees be restricted from the city’s water department office at 160 N. West Ave., the wastewater treatment plant at 725 Poland Ave., street department building at 1475 Teamster Drive and the city’s sign and signal shop at 480 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. “to avoid the imminent threat with a high probability of widespread exposure to COVID-19.”

She ordered city hall closed to the public and non-essential employees Wednesday.