COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A guard at a private prison is the fifth corrections worker in Ohio to die from the coronavirus, Gov. Mike DeWine and the prison announced Tuesday.
Terry Loomis, a guard at Lake Erie Correctional Institute in northeastern Ohio, died Tuesday after being hospitalized on May 24. Loomis had worked at the facility, owned by CoreCivic, for 18 years, said CoreCivic spokeswoman Amanda Gilchrist.
Two other Ohio prison guards and two prison nurses have also died during the pandemic. More than 4,900 inmates have tested positive and 83 have died.
Also Tuesday, the governor said Ohio has arranged with the U.S. Department of Labor to borrow up to $3.1 billion to pay unemployment insurance claims. States are obliged to borrow the money from the government when they run out of state funds. Ohio borrowed more than $3.3 billion after the 2008 recession, finally paying off the debt in 2016.
DeWine also said he expects to announce guidelines for school reopening plans in about 10 days. The governor has that specific decisions are up to individual districts.
The state has seen more than 42,000 confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases, and 2,597 confirmed and probable deaths, the Health Department said. Cases remain flat, with a 21-day daily case average of 429 as of Tuesday.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.