Ohio, Michigan the first states to close K-12 schools in response to coronavirus, Ohio with some 5 confirmed cases to date, with health officials predicting that some 100,000 people are carrying the virus in Ohio....By editor Kathy Wray Coleman of Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, Ohio's most read digital Black newspaper and Black blog, both also at the top in Black digital news in the Midwest.... Three of Ohio's 5 confirmed coronavirus cases are in Cuyahoga County, which includes Cleveland....

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, Ohio's most read digital Black newspaper and Black blog, both also at the top in Black digital news in the Midwest. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com

Columbus, Ohio –Ohio and Michigan have become the first states to close K-12 schools in response to the coronavirus outbreak, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine making the announcement yesterday.

The governor said at a press conference Thursday that Ohio's school children will have an extended spring break for three weeks beginning with the close of school on Monday, March 16, and tentatively ending April 3. 

It applies to all public, private, voucher and charter schools in Ohio. 

This follows a wealth of activity in response to the outbreak, including the Cleveland Cavaliers suspending its season, the cancellation of the St Patrick's Day parade in Cleveland that was scheduled for March 17, and the NCAA's cancellation of March Madness. 

Earlier in the week the governor announced that the first three confirmed cases of coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, are residents of Cuyahoga County, which includes Cleveland.

Since then two more cases of the virus have popped up in Ohio, the latest case a 55-year-old man from Trumbull County. 

There have been no fatalities in Ohio to date.

Treated at University Hospitals in Cleveland, none of the infected persons out of Cuyahoga County have been hospitalized, authorities have said. 

The Ohio Department of Health predicts that more than 100,000 people in Ohio are carrying the virus as fears escalate relative to the ongoing crisis. 

The outbreak of the virus has plagued China and Italy where thousands are dead, some 80, 815 in China, and 15, 113 in Italy. 

The disease has infected more than 139,000 people around the world coupled with some 5,116 deaths, more than 1,832 of those cases occurring in the U.S.

Symptoms include a dry cough, fever and difficulty breathing

Congress passed a bipartisan, bicameral emergency coronavirus response package of $8.3 billion to help combat this health concern and protect the American people.

While there is currently no vaccine to prevent the coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) basic precautions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, such as staying home while sick, seeing a doctor when needed, and avoiding large gatherings and close contact with those infected, are recommended. 

For the latest updates on the coronavirus and information on travel advisories, visit the CDC's [Centers for Disease Control] Information Page for the Coronavirus Disease.  For updates on the number of confirmed cases in the state of Ohio, visit the Ohio Department of Health COVID-19 Page.

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, Ohio's most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog Tel: (216) 659-0473 and Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. Kathy Wray Coleman, editor-in-chief, and who trained for 17 years at the Call and Post Newspaper in Cleveland, Ohio. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview, CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.