Rapid testing, ventilator gifting, mask making: News from around our 50 states

Alabama

Montgomery: A generous donation to a retirement community will help save lives and is inspiring the public to help lift spirits as well. An anonymous artist has given 70 of the much-needed N95 masks – as well as items like gloves, goggles and full-coverage body suits – to the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, according to Cynthia Milledge, the museum’s director of marketing and public relations. The masks and other items, which the artist normally wears while making pieces, are crucial items for health care workers during the coronavirus pandemic. They are being donated to Wesley Gardens assisted living facility for use by the nursing staff and residents. Part of the donation has already been presented to meet the facility’s immediate needs. The remaining masks and gloves will be presented April 17 with public artwork and words of encouragement through the museum’s HeART for our Heroes program. “Because the artist wanted to remain anonymous, we didn’t want it to be a thing that was coming straight from the museum,” Milledge said. “We wanted to get the community involved. So that’s when we asked for the artwork.”

Alaska

Bethel: Hundreds of dogs living in largely Alaska Native villages won’t go hungry this spring after more than 8,000 pounds of dog food were delivered, a humanitarian effort coordinated by two of the nation’s largest animal welfare groups in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The goods arrived in Bethel, a southwest Alaska hub community, late Thursday on a cargo plane from Seattle. The Bethel Friends of Canines will store the food for eventual distribution to those in need, including dog owners from about 35 communities dotting southwest Alaska’s Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. The dog food drop from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Humane Society of the United States was necessary in roadless western Alaska because travel restrictions and dwindling supplies are making delivery of dog food to the region difficult during the pandemic.

Arizona

Glendale: With little hope of getting the 5,000 ventilators it requested from the dwindling national stockpile, the state has revised its request down to fewer than the 500 it expects to need soon to treat coronavirus patients, the state’s health director said. Most of the ventilators would be used to equip a Phoenix hospital that shut down last year but is being reopened as an acute care facility, Health Services Department Director Dr. Cara Christ said. About 50 would be sent to the Navajo Nation, where a severe coronavirus outbreak is ongoing. The health department reported Monday that the state now has 2,465 known coronavirus cases with 65 known deaths. Christ expects cases to peak late this month and hospitals to see their maximum patient load in May. The federal government only has about 10,000 ventilators in reserve, and New York state alone had requested 30,000 and got only 4,000, Christ noted.

Arkansas

Little Rock: A third state lawmaker said Monday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus, days before the Legislature is set to meet for this year’s session. Rep. Les Warren said in a statement that he was told by his physician Sunday that he had tested positive and was self-isolating at home. Warren said his symptoms were minimal. Warren is the third lawmaker to test positive since the Legislature met for a marathon special session to approve a $173 million coronavius fund. Lawmakers are set to convene Wednesday for this year’s fiscal session. The Arkansas House plans to meet in the same 5,600-seat basketball arena it used for the special session. The Senate will meet in the Capitol, but with restrictions on the number of members in its chamber. Warren said he will vote by proxy in this year’s session. Health officials said the number of coronavirus cases in Arkansas on Monday has risen to at least 854. Arkansas has had 16 deaths.

California

Beverly Hills: Los Angeles County transportation officials are taking advantage of light traffic during the coronavirus pandemic to expedite subway construction by shutting down a section of a major thoroughfare. The closure of a couple of blocks of Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills will allow contractors to advance work on the Wilshire/Rodeo station for an extension of the Purple Line subway, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said. Completing the work sooner is expected in turn to minimize future construction impacts to local businesses during the economic recovery period that follows the pandemic, Metro said. The Purple Line extension will add 9 miles to the existing route. When complete, commuters will be able to travel all the way from downtown to the Westwood area near UCLA. The line currently terminates in the Wilshire Center area of Koreatown.

Colorado

Denver: Some law enforcement agencies in the state have reported an increase in police impersonators pulling over drivers since the governor ordered residents to stay at home to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Police in Aurora, Greeley and Erie have been in contact about similar police impersonator cases, KDVR-TV reports. “It’s very frightening because we don’t really know what their intentions are,” Crystal McCoy of the Aurora Police Department said. Several residents in Greeley reported being waved through a fake roadblock and questioned for “violating the COVID-19 law” by men wearing reflective vests who told drivers they could face citations, police said. The Greeley Police Department said none of its officers, Weld County Sheriff’s deputies or Colorado State troopers conducted the March 27 traffic stops. On the same day, a woman in Erie reported being pulled over by a black vehicle with flashing emergency lights and asked where she was going and told her to return home due to the stay-at-home order. The man followed the driver to her residence before leaving the area.

Connecticut

Hartford: The peak of the coronavirus outbreak is still a few weeks away for Fairfield County, more than a month away for New Haven County and may not hit the eastern part of the state until June, Gov. Ned Lamont said Monday. “The next few weeks are going to be tough,” the Democratic governor told Connecticut Public Radio. “The state is as well prepared as we can be with the things that we control.” He also expressed frustration with not being able to get ventilators, personal protective equipment and other medical supplies from the federal government. Lamont said he talked Sunday with Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and repeated his plea that Connecticut be considered part of a hot spot region that includes New York for the purpose of federal government allocation of medical supplies and equipment.

Delaware

Wilmington: The state on Sunday become one of the latest declared a major disaster area by President Donald Trump amid the new coronavirus outbreak, giving the state access to more federal assistance to confront the outbreak. The declaration came as Delaware health officials reported more than 670 positive COVID-19 cases in the state, an increase of 80 cases compared to Saturday. The number of deaths remained at 14, with about 100 hospitalizations. A second correctional officer at the largest state prison has tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Department of Correction. The latest officer at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center with the virus was assigned to the maximum-security housing area. The officer started feeling bad last Tuesday, received a test and remained at home. Officers who worked with the officer over the past 14 days are being told self-isolate and check for symptoms, the department said.

District of Columbia

Washington: There are 99 new positive coronavirus cases in D.C., bringing the overall positive case total to 1,097, WUSA-TV reports. Two more COVID-19-related deaths were also reported Monday – a 67-year-old woman and a 69-year-old woman. So far, 24 residents of the district have died. D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, Mayor Muriel Bowser have announced funding efforts and programs to help residents during the pandemic. The district needs to cut more than $600 million from the fiscal-year budget covering this year and next, Bowser said. Spending for the D.C. government will mirror 2017 spending levels, she said. D.C. Council members plan to discuss funding virtually at their next scheduled meeting in an effort to put the city in the best position financially to deal with the impacts of the pandemic.

Florida

Tallahassee: Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday that the state’s heavily criticized unemployment system should now be able to handle the crush of applicants it is receiving as workers lose their jobs because of the coronavirus outbreak. He said the computer system’s capacity has been increased to handle 120,000 simultaneous connections, about double the peak usage in recent weeks, and by Tuesday 750 additional state employees will be trained to handle and process phone calls. Private call centers are also being contracted to provide additional service. Last week, 3.8 million calls were made to the department, 50% more than all of last year. More than 520,000 Floridians have applied for unemployment since March 15, compared to 326,000 in all of last year. But despite assurances from the governor that help was on its way, some said they still weren’t getting it.

Georgia

Atlanta: Drive-thru testing for COVID-19 began Monday at Georgia Institute of Technology, Gov. Brian Kemp announced. Kemp said the state was partnering with CVS Health to set up rapid testing that can accommodate multiple lanes of cars at one time at a parking deck on Georgia Tech’s campus in midtown Atlanta. The process is expected to take about 30 minutes from the time of the test to delivery of results, Kemp said in a statement Monday. “Increased access to rapid testing remains one of our top priorities in order to identify more cases, get Georgians the care they need, and prevent further infection in our communities,” Kemp said. At full capacity, the site will be able to conduct up to 1,000 tests per day. “It will help us get a better sense of how widespread the virus is in the community,” said Dr. Marybeth Sexton, an infectious disease expert at the Emory University School of Medicine. Patients must preregister for a same-day appointment online.

Hawaii

Honolulu: The state’s insurance commissioner has encouraged businesses to keep providing health insurance for employees as many companies close or limit operations in response to the COVID-19 virus. State Insurance Commissioner Colin Hayashida urged insurers to offer continuing coverage during the pandemic, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports. The commissioner encouraged providers to ensure policies do not lapse and to refrain from canceling or failing to renew policies because of nonpayment while the state is dealing with the virus outbreak. Under the Prepaid Health Care Act of 1974, Hawaii employers are required to provide health care coverage for eligible employees who work 20 hours or more after four consecutive weeks of employment. Furloughed employees generally receive health insurance benefits, but workers who are laid off do not.

Idaho

Boise: Gov. Brad Little’s stay-at-home order to limit the spread of the coronavirus is legal and clearly defined by law, Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said. Wasden said the Republican governor’s power to assert such an order is found within Idaho code. Little issued the 21-day order March 25. Some lawmakers and a northern Idaho sheriff had questioned Little’s authority to do that, contending it violated the U.S. Constitution. “The law in this area is clearly defined,” Wasden, also a Republican, told the Idaho Statesman. “I have no problems with providing a legal defense of the governor’s order and stand ready to do so should the need arise.” Idaho has 1,078 confirmed cases and 10 deaths because of the virus, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally Sunday morning.

Illinois

Chicago: The state needs thousands more ventilators than the federal government plans to send and is desperately searching for more before Illinois’ expected peak in coronavirus cases later this month, the governor said Sunday, hours before officials announced the number of people to test positive in the state more than doubled in a week. Appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday morning, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he requested 4,000 ventilators from the federal government last Tuesday and has received 450, far short of even the 1,400 ventilators that Vice President Mike Pence said the state needs. Pritzker, who has been critical of the Trump administration’s handling of the pandemic, disputed the president’s claim that many states were unprepared. “If they had started in February building ventilators, getting ready for this pandemic, we would not have the problems that we have today, and frankly, very many fewer people would die,” Pritzker said.

Indiana

Indianapolis: The Riley Children’s Foundation is seeking donations toward a new fund that will provide emergency assistance to families of hospitalized children facing additional financial struggles during the coronavirus pandemic. The Riley Relief Fund will also provide support for the Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis during the ongoing public heath emergency, foundation officials said. Foundation President Elizabeth Elkas said the virus outbreak is pushing many families further into crisis while they are caring for children with complex medical needs. The first $100,000 donated is being matched by a donation from car dealership owner Bob Butler and his family, the foundation said. Donations can be made at the foundation’s website. The new relief fund is meant to provide families with emergency assistance for housing, utilities, transportation, medications, food and other necessities.

Iowa

Des Moines: The state’s coronavirus death toll jumped by 57% over 24 hours, an increase from 14 to 22. Sunday was the single-deadliest day so far for the state where Gov. Kim Reynolds has pushed back against national calls that she issue a statewide stay-in-place order. Iowa is one of just a handful of states where governors have so far not issued a statewide or partial stay-at-home order, according to tracking by The New York Times. Reynolds’ administration is using a 12-point scale that weighs age, hospitalization, population and long-term care outbreaks to determine if and when a shelter-at-home order is necessary, according to documents made public last week. A stay-at-home order would require Iowa reach at least 10 points in any one of six regions in the state. A map released Thursday showed the highest score was a seven.

Kansas

Topeka: Operational changes have been implemented at Lansing Correctional Center – the largest prison in the state – after an inmate and a fourth staff member tested positive for the coronavirus, state prison officials said. As of Sunday, the state had confirmed 747 infections and 22 deaths, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment said. The number is 49 cases higher than the 698 on Saturday, with one more death. At least 183 people have been hospitalized in Kansas with the virus. Lansing also is dealing with absenteeism, as 40 of its 310 front-line uniformed officers are out for reasons related to the virus, an agency spokesman told The Wichita Eagle. Corrections Secretary Jeff Zmuda said that includes ill employees, those who have preexisting conditions that put them at risk, those caring for children home from school or others who are monitoring at-risk family members.

Kentucky

Louisville: A new city order cracks down on pop-up COVID-19 testing sites after a handful of operations across the city were accused of being scams. The order, signed Monday by Louisville’s health director and county attorney, requires operators not affiliated with health facilities or already approved by the city’s public health agency to get written approval before starting. All approved sites, it said, will be subject to inspection by local health officials and must comply with all guidelines from the health department and from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sites that do not comply will be immediately shut down, the order says. And any individual who fails to comply with an order issued by the court will face additional criminal charges. At least two mobile coronavirus testing sites opened in Louisville last week, claiming to be medical marketing companies with relationships to labs that do testing and charging up to $250 per test.

Louisiana

New Orleans: State health officials reported 68 coronavirus-related deaths Sunday, marking the state’s biggest jump in reported deaths since the outbreak began. The number of infections reported to the Louisiana Department of Health also increased by more than 500 cases from 12,496 to 13,010. Before Sunday, the largest number of deaths reported in a single day was 60. The numbers represent when the tests were reported to the state, not necessarily when the infections or deaths occurred. Dr. Alexander Billioux, assistant secretary of Louisiana’s Office of Public Health, said in a statement that it was a “large increase” but that it’s important to note that not all the deaths occurred over the prior 24 hours. He said authorities are analyzing the cases to determine when the deaths occurred and will release the information in coming days.

Maine

Portland: Public health officials said Monday that there are still no cases of the new coronavirus in Piscataquis County, one of the least densely populated countries in the eastern United States. The virus has appeared in 15 of the state’s 16 counties, and two counties in southern Maine are in the midst of community transmission of the virus, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention director Nirav Shah said. But Piscataquis, which has a population of about 17,000 and only about four residents per square mile, remains free of cases. Shah said residents shouldn’t develop a false sense of security due to Maine’s relative low number of cases compared to other states. “I hope that there is not anyone out there who is taking a look at our relatively low numbers compared to Boston, New York and others and saying, ‘This is not a risk in Maine,’ ” Shah said. Piscataquis is in the interior of Maine and is home to Baxter State Park, one of the most beloved natural areas in New England.

Maryland

Annapolis: Gov. Larry Hogan on Sunday announced new mandates for the state’s nursing homes in order to dull the spread of COVID-19, which has invaded dozens of facilities in Maryland. Under the threat of criminal penalties, Hogan’s order and directive from his health secretary demand that nursing home employees in close contact with residents wear face masks, gloves, gowns and other personal protective gear when providing care. Nursing homes must have expedited testing for the new coronavirus and designated areas where residents with known or suspected COVID-19 are treated, according to the new rules. Violating the rules is a misdemeanor punishable by fines and prison. Hogan said more than 80 nursing homes and long-term care facilities have positive cases or clusters of cases. The most intense cluster is at the Pleasant View Nursing Home in Mount Airy.

Massachusetts

Boston: Federal officials are providing aid to veterans at nursing homes in the state that have been hard-hit in the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie said Sunday at a White House briefing that the federal Department of Veterans Affairs will provide the assistance at two nursing homes. He didn’t name the facilities, and spokespersons for the agency at the state Executive Office of Health and Human Services didn’t respond to emails seeking comment Monday. More than 20 residents have died at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home in recent days in one of the deadliest outbreaks of the virus in a veterans’ home in the nation. At least three residents have also died at the Chelsea Soldier’s Home, and residents are being transferred from that facility. The two facilities are state-run and licensed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Michigan

Lansing: A field hospital at Detroit’s downtown convention center could gets its first COVID-19 patients this week, officials said Monday. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Detroit-area hospitals are running “dangerously low” on personal protection equipment. She also reported an “incredible surge” in the number of unemployment claims and promised that people would get paid, despite computer woes and bureaucratic red tape. “We will get to you,” Whitmer said. The governor gave an update on the coronavirus after the number of cases rose to 15,718 and 617 deaths over the weekend. Whitmer said she plans to extend a stay-at-home order, which limits people to essential trips outside their homes and shuts down most businesses. “We are not out of the woods yet,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, the state’s medical executive. “Our hospitals continue to be overwhelmed, especially in southeast Michigan.”

Minnesota

Minneapolis: The Legislature will reconvene Tuesday to pass a bill that would ensure first responders and health care workers who are infected with the coronavirus qualify for workers’ compensation without having to prove they were sickened on the job. Minnesota’s count of confirmed cases rose to 986 on Monday, up 51 from Sunday. The number of deaths attributed to COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, rose by one to 30. Of the positive cases, 470 no longer need to be isolated. As of Monday, 115 patients were hospitalized, up 11 from Sunday, with 57 in intensive care, up nine from a day earlier. Legislative leaders announced the agreement on workers’ compensation late Sunday night. The new rules will protect a wide range of emergency and health care workers, including police officers, firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, correctional officers, nurses, home health care workers, and people who provide child care for the offspring of first responders and health care workers.

Mississippi

Jackson: The state has been declared a major disaster area by President Donald Trump amid the new coronavirus outbreak, giving the state access to more federal assistance to confront the pandemic. Gov. Tate Reeves announced Friday that he had asked Trump to issue the declaration. Trump has issued a series of major disaster declarations around the country. Each declaration makes federal funds available to state, local and tribal governments and some private nonprofits for emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance. The Mississippi Health Department said Monday that as of Sunday evening, the state had 1,738 positive tests for the virus and 51 deaths. The state has about 3 million residents.

Missouri

O’Fallon: Nearly 500 people are hospitalized in the St. Louis region with the coronavirus, including 139 requiring ventilators, and the leader of a new pandemic task force is warning that the peak of illnesses isn’t expected until later this month. Dr. Alex Garza, head of the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force, said Sunday that 468 patients are hospitalized in the St. Louis area, including 164 in intensive care units, the vast majority of whom are on ventilators. The patients either have tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, or are showing symptoms and awaiting test results. Garza said the number of hospitalized patients is expected to peak in two to three weeks. “We have every reason to believe that the surge is still coming,” Garza said. “So it is extremely important that we all follow the strategy, which is to stop the spread” through social isolation, frequent hand-washing and other measures.

Montana

Helena: The state’s health department is concerned with a sharp decline in the number of calls to the child abuse and neglect hotline since schools were closed to decrease the spread of the coronavirus, the agency said Monday. From March 8 to 14, 765 calls were made to the hotline at 1-866-820-KIDS (5437). Gov. Steve Bullock announced school closures starting March 17. Since then, the number of calls dropped to an average of 425 per week, a 45% decrease. “This decrease in calls is very concerning because teachers and school staff are mandatory reporters of child abuse and neglect, and we know they are one of the main sources of calls to the hotline,” said Sheila Hogan, director of the Department of Public Health and Human Services. “With schools closed, it’s important for all us to take an active role by calling the hotline if you suspect abuse or neglect.”

Nebraska

Kearney: All staff and residents of the Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center in Kearney are being tested for the new coronavirus after two center employees tested positive for COVID-19. Two Rivers Health Department in Holdrege and the Nebraska National Guard set up the on-site testing for all 162 residents and staff, state health officials said in a news release. Test results are expected midweek, officials said. Officials reported last week that a center staff member had tested positive for the coronavirus. That employee did not return to work after becoming symptomatic. Later, a second employee was found to also have the virus. A pandemic plan has been activated to check residents and staff for symptoms and to set up quarantine areas, if needed, said Dannette Smith, CEO of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. “As outlined in our pandemic plan, staff did everything right,” Smith said.

Nevada

Carson City: The state is reporting 94 new coronavirus cases, pushing the statewide total to 1,836, but the state Health and Human Services Department’s website shows the death toll remaining at 46. Most of the cases and deaths have been in Clark County, which is Nevada’s most populous and includes metro Las Vegas. Elko County has become the third county in the state to report a coronavirus death – a woman in her 50s with underlying medical conditions who wasn’t hospitalized. Washoe County has had four deaths and reported 16 new cases Saturday, pushing its total to 245. Gov. Steve Sisolak announced Saturday that the federal government has approved Nevada’s request to declare a major disaster declaration for the state. He said that move will unlock additional federal assistance for residents affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

New Hampshire

Concord: An employee who works at the state prison for men in Concord has tested positive for the coronavirus and is now quarantined at home, the Department of Corrections said Monday. The department learned late Friday that the employee had tested positive, spokeswoman Laura Montenegro said in a news release. The employee last worked at the prison March 25 and did not return until Wednesday but was denied entry based on the COVID-19 screening process and was directed to follow up with a health care provider, Montenegro said. That follow-up resulted in the positive test confirmation, she said. The screening for staff includes a temperature and visual check, Montenegro said. The prison suspended visitation and volunteer services March 16 and is promoting social distancing by reducing movement and transfer with other correctional institutions.

New Jersey

Trenton: The state’s death toll from the coronavirus has surpassed 1,000 people, even as evidence begins to show the state is beginning to flatten the curve of the virus, Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday. In the past 24 hours, New Jersey fatalities from COVID-19 climbed from 917 to 1,003, Murphy said. He also said the data is beginning to show that the social distancing he mandated last month is starting to pay off. He said there may still be anomalous days, but overall the curve “is beginning, and I use that word cautiously, is beginning to flatten.” New Jersey and New York are among the hardest-hit states in the country. New Jersey is likely weeks away from hitting the peak of the outbreak, according to health officials. The state has more than 41,000 cases of COVID-19. Among the fatalities was Jersey City Councilman Michael Yun, according to Murphy and Mayor Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop.

New Mexico

Albuquerque: While federal environmental regulators have waived enforcement on a range of legally mandated public health and environmental protections, the state is marching ahead. Food inspections are ongoing, as is the tracking of methane emissions and other critical work related to drinking water protections and worker safety, as the number of new coronavirus cases in the state grows. On Sunday, President Donald Trump signed off on a federal disaster declaration for New Mexico, freeing up funding to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts. Officials say about 25% of the New Mexico Environment Department’s staff is focusing on COVID-19-related critical services. The rest are working on permitting actions and compliance activities to the extent possible during the public health emergency, from developing new water quality improvement projects to analyzing air quality data and answering questions about the state’s hemp program.

New York

New York: Gov. Andrew Cuomo extended stay-at-home restrictions through the month and increased fines on violators to up to $1,000, citing fresh evidence Monday that the outbreak-fighting rules could be helping the state avoid a worst-case catastrophe. New York state has tallied 4,758 deaths from COVID-19, with 599 reported in the past 24 hours. It remains the most affected state, with more than 130,000 laboratory-confirmed cases and close to 17,000 people hospitalized. But the number of new people entering hospitals daily has dropped, as has the number of critically ill patients requiring ventilators. Recent data suggests the state could be at or near the peak of the outbreak, state officials said. Warning it was no time the relent, Cuomo said schools and nonessential businesses will remain closed until April 29. He said the maximum fine for violations of state social distancing protocol will soon be $1,000, up from $500. “This virus has kicked our rear end. And we underestimate this virus at our own peril. We’ve learned that lesson,” Cuomo told a news briefing at the Capitol. “Now is not the time to slack off on what we’re doing.”

North Carolina

Asheville: Mission Health has announced a new payment policy and other services designed to protect employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, spokeswoman Nancy Lindell said in a release. In recent weeks, the health system – which has its largest facility, Mission Hospital, in Asheville – has seen a decrease in surgery and outpatient volume because of the coronavirus pandemic. This has led to a reduction of hours for many employees. In response, Mission’s owner, HCA Healthcare is implementing a “pandemic pay continuation” policy for all HCA employees. Lindell said the measure is designed to “help protect the financial security for front-line caregivers at all facilities.” According to Lindell, HCA will attempt to redeploy employees with reduced hours who work in clinical facilities or support areas. Those who cannot be redeployed will receive 70% of base pay for up to seven weeks. Workers in patient care facilities who are quarantined due to COVID-19 exposure will receive their entire base salary.

North Dakota

Fargo: The number of positive COVID-19 cases in the state increased by 18 in the past day, including 11 people from Cass County, state health officials said Monday. The state has confirmed 225 cases of the coronavirus, which has caused 32 people to be hospitalized. About 75 people have recovered after testing positive. Three people have died from the virus. The testing count went over 7,000 on Sunday after 426 people were screened. While officials have encouraged residents to enjoy the outdoors as long as they’re taking social distancing measures, the virus has affected one of the state’s favorite activities. The North Dakota Game and Fish Department on Monday postponed all fishing tournaments for April and May and could extend the order through October depending on COVID-19 conditions. The department announced Friday that it was canceling the paddlefish snagging harvest season.

Ohio

Columbus: Four prisons are under full quarantines following two positive tests for inmates last week, and the state health department said it plans to start random coronavirus testing to better determine how widespread the virus is in Ohio. Prisons in Columbus, Marion, Pickaway County and Toledo are under full quarantines following positive tests for one inmate at the Marion prison and one at the Pickaway prison last week, as well as the transfer of a Marion inmate to Franklin Medical Center in Columbus. One inmate in Toledo is in isolation pending testing results. More than 4,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus, and 119 people have died, with more than 1,100 hospitalizations as of Sunday, according to the state health department.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: The number of coronavirus cases in the state surpassed 1,200 Sunday, and four more people died of COVID-19, the Oklahoma State Department of Health reported. There are at least 1,252 cases and 46 COVID-19 deaths, the department said, up from 1,159 cases and 42 deaths reported Friday. Of the 46 deaths, 35 were people ages 65 or over, and the four latest deaths, three men and a woman, were each in that age group. Nine deaths were people ages 50-64, and two were in the 36-49 age group. At least one case is reported in 57 of the state’s counties 77 counties, and President Donald Trump on Sunday declared a major disaster in the state, making federal funding available for recovery efforts. The funding is available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and private nonprofit organizations for emergency protective measures for areas in the state affected by COVID-19, according to the White House.

Oregon

Salem: As hospitals struggle to get new supplies of personal protective equipment such as face masks, gowns and gloves due to the shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, officials think thousands of inmates could be one solution. Oregon Corrections Enterprises, a semi-independent state agency, is producing 30,000 non-medical face masks for use by the Department of Corrections and is seeking to make medical-grade masks for hospitals that could help fill the shortfall. “In an emergency you can’t get the help quick enough,” OCE Administrator Ken Jeske said. A 1994 ballot measure required inmates in Oregon to work 40 hours each week or receive on-the-job training. Oregon Corrections Enterprises’ inmate employees normally produce items such as park benches, gun safes, grills, furniture and clothing. Jeske said the 30,000 non-medical masks OCE is making from cotton are for the Department of Corrections for use by inmates and guards to reduce the risk of infection. “They’re not a medical-grade masks, so they would just go to everybody,” he said.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: Unemployment compensation claims have vaulted the state past 1 million since the coronavirus began taking a severe toll on the economy in mid-March, as the state Department of Health on Monday reported more cases and more virus-related deaths. The state exceeded 283,000 jobless claims last week. Also Monday, lawmakers were scheduled to convene in Harrisburg, as top Republicans in the House of Representatives press legislation to force Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration to allow construction activity and retail operations to continue unabated during the coronavirus crisis. However, top Democrats oppose such efforts, saying it is more important to clamp down on the spread of the coronavirus and try to avoid exposing workers to the virus. Wolf’s administration has called for all “non-life-sustaining” businesses to close indefinitely and suggested now is not the time to stray from that course.

Rhode Island

Lincoln: CVS Health is rolling out a free, rapid COVID-19 test at its new drive-thru testing site at a casino, Gov. Gina Raimondo announced Monday. The testing site, which will be by appointment only, opened Monday at Twin River Casino in Lincoln. Results from tests being administered at the site could be ready in as little as 15 minutes, the governor said. The site is expected to perform about 1,000 tests per day, doubling the state’s testing capacity, Raimondo said. “Today marks a giant leap forward in our efforts to combat this virus,” she said in a statement. “Making testing rapid and readily available is the key to slowly reopening our economy, and today we are one step closer to that goal.” The Woonsocket-based company says Rhode Island and Georgia are the only two states where it’s offering the rapid tests so far.

South Carolina

Columbia: An inmate in a local jail has tested positive for COVID-19, leading officials to isolate the nearly three dozen inmates in his housing unit. The inmate in the Charleston County jail appears to be the first inmate to test positive for coronavirus in the state. No state prisoners have tested positive, although at least 17 Corrections Department employees have been infected, according to the agency. Several police officers across the state also have COVID-19. Meanwhile, an order from Gov. Henry McMaster went into effect Monday, closing several additional categories of businesses, including jewelry stores, bookstores, department stores and flea markets. Even though the list of actions seems similar to those other states with so-called stay-at-home orders, the Republican has steadfastly refused to give his executive orders that name. The coronavirus also prompted the Forestry Commission to ban all outdoor burning until further notice because smoke can cause symptoms similar to COVID-19 and make respiratory problems worse in people already infected.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: State health officials on Monday reported the highest day-to-day jump in confirmed coronavirus cases as 48 more people tested positive for the disease. State epidemiologist Josh Clayton said 288 people have tested positive in total, while confirming that two more people in the state have died. Clayton cautioned against reading too much into the uptick in confirmed infections, saying the state would have to see several days of similar increases to count it as statistically important. He also said there has been an increase in testing at both the state lab and commercial labs. The total number of people who have tested positive has doubled since Wednesday. Health officials reported 91 people who have tested positive have recovered so far, while 23 have required hospitalization.

Tennessee

Memphis: A man has been charged with violating the governor’s stay-at-home coronavirus order after a confrontation with officers at a birthday party. Jeremial Lee, 28, also was charged Saturday with disorderly conduct, marijuana possession and possessing a gun without a permit, Memphis police said in an affidavit. Officers responded to a call of shots being fired Saturday evening and found a large crowd gathered for the party in spite of the Republican governor’s order to avoid gatherings of 10 people or more. Jeremial Lee “became upset because of being told to leave” and threatened an officer, the affidavit said. Gov. Bill Lee’s guidance to law enforcement on carrying out the order says officers should first seek to educate, then warn, then give the opportunity to comply and, if needed, take further steps including charging violators with a misdemeanor. The emergency order law is punishable by up to 11 months and 29 days in jail.

Texas

Corpus Christi: Officials in this popular South Texas city said they’re looking at ways to discourage vacationers from visiting amid the coronavirus outbreak. Mayor Joe McComb is looking at possibly restricting residential vacation rentals in his coastal city during the upcoming weeks. “We’re going to be looking at the possibilities of trying to convince them that coming down here is not in their best interest or our best interest,” McComb said. “Because the traveling bug comes with them, and we just want to protect our citizens.” The majority of COVID-19 cases in Nueces County, where Corpus Christi is located, are travel-related, according to public documents.

Utah

Ogden: Northern Utah jail populations are falling, and police are delivering fewer detainees for jailing, except violent offenders, as law enforcement responds to the coronavirus pandemic. The Weber County Jail in Ogden had about 780 inmates this time last year, but the head count is down to about 685 recently, said Lt. Joshua Marigoni, spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office corrections division. Davis County’s jail population at Farmington dipped below 500 last week, Sheriff Kelly Sparks said, compared with daily averages last spring ranging from 600 to 700. Police departments that feed arrestees to the county jails are participating in the effort to limit those populations, which are at high risk of spreading infection if any inmates contract COVID-19. “The public should understand that if we get COVID-19 in the jail, we’ve got a serious issue,” Marigoni said. “We don’t have the option of social distancing.”

Vermont

Montpelier: Vermonters need to prepare for what could be a bleak time over the next several weeks as the state continues its efforts to control the outbreak of COVID-19, but there are glimmers of hope, Gov. Phil Scott said Monday. Scott reiterated that Vermonters need to stay home and stay isolated from others as the most effective tool to stop the spread of the virus. “This is a once-in-a-century challenge, but with each of us sacrificing for the greater good, with neighbors helping neighbors and using Vermont common sense and ingenuity, and by uniting around the common cause of protecting one another, we will beat this.” Twenty-two Vermonters have died from COVID-19, and projections for the number of people expected to die range from about 40 to 100, Vermont Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine said. One projection estimates the effort to contain the spread of COVID-19 could save 1,700 lives, Levine said.

Virginia

Roanoke: State officials are warning of possible scams related to the coronavirus epidemic and are particularly worried about the $1,200 checks that many Americans will receive from the federal government in the coming weeks and months. The warning comes from the Internal Revenue Service as well as a new state task force that’s been set up specifically to battle epidemic-related fraud. It’s made up of U.S. attorneys for the state as well as the FBI and the Virginia State Police. They issued a warning late last week. U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger said in a statement that Virginians are “likely to see an uptick” in things such as advanced-fee schemes that promise government relief checks. Scammers may ask people to sign over their checks or get them to “verify” filing information in order to steal money.

Washington

Olympia: Gov. Jay Inslee said Sunday that the state will return more than 400 ventilators of the 500 it has received from the federal government so they can go to New York and other states hit harder by the coronavirus. The Democratic governor said Sunday that his statewide stay-at-home order and weeks of social distancing have led to slower rates of infections and deaths in Washington. The state Department of Health said Sunday evening that Washington had nearly 8,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 338 deaths. New York has more than 122,000 confirmed cases and more than 4,000 deaths. Washington received 500 ventilators last month from the Strategic National Stockpile. “I’ve said many times over the last few weeks: We are in this together,” Inslee said. “This should guide all of our actions at an individual and state level in the coming days and weeks.”

West Virginia

Charleston: West Virginia National Guard members who have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic will be used to process mounting unemployment claims, Gov. Jim Justice said. “As of Monday, the Workforce call line will be operating 24/7 and I have directed the West Virginia National Guard to spare no expense, and use all their resources in as many physical locations as possible, to get the backlog of calls under control,” Justice said in a news release. The West Virginia Office of Technology is assisting with implementing technology, he said. Workforce WV employees are trying to process 90,000 claims from last month compared with 2,400 in March 2019, Justice said. Information from the state Department of Health and Human Resources, including the state’s toll-free hotline, is available online.

Wisconsin

Milwaukee: Deaths and confirmed cases of the coronavirus are spiking in the city’s black community, leading public health and civic leaders to sound the alarm that decades of social, political and economic disadvantages are creating a toxic stew that puts people’s lives at risk like no time before. “I wish I could say I was surprised or shocked by that,” said Joshua Garoon, an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who studies the sociology of public health. “But it’s precisely, given the situation in Wisconsin, what I would expect to see. … All else is not equal, especially in a city like Milwaukee.” Milwaukee is Wisconsin’s largest city, with about 600,000 people, and is home to the state’s largest minority population. As of 2018, black people accounted for about 38% of the city’s population, with about 35% white and 20% Hispanic. The city is repeatedly ranked as one of the worst for black people in the country, based on income and employment disparities, a wide education gap and high levels of incarceration.

Wyoming

Cheyenne: Lawmakers are considering holding a special legislative session to decide what to do with the federal stimulus money coming to the state and to confront other issues brought on by the coronavirus outbreak. Republican House Speaker Steve Harshman of Casper said the likelihood of the state’s first special session since 2004 is pretty good, and there may be more than one, according to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. It’s not clear how lawmakers would convene a session in the middle of a pandemic. Gov. Mark Gordon has the ability to call an emergency session to convene outside the Capitol, which would allow lawmakers to meet via a virtual format. The Legislature also has the constitutional power to call itself in, but that route requires the session be held in Cheyenne.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rapid testing, ventilator gifting: News from around our 50 states