More than 12,000 weekly COVID cases reported in Ohio

On Oct. 13, Ohio recorded 8,535 cases — its fewest amount since the spring — but cases have gradually increased each following week.

The state added 538 coronavirus hospitalizations, up from 508 hospitalizations the previous week, according to the Ohio Department of Health. It’s the state’s fourth consecutive week recording an increase in hospitalizations.

As of Thursday, there were 1,051 people hospitalized with COVID in Ohio, including 80 in west central Ohio and 119 in southwest Ohio, according to the Ohio Hospital Association.

West central Ohio includes Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Shelby counties, and southwest Ohio consists of Butler, Warren, Hamilton, Adams, Brown, Clermont and Clinton counties.

The number of COVID inpatients decreased by 2% over the last week and dropped 23% compared to 60 days ago in southwest Ohio.

West central Ohio reported a 5% decrease in inpatients with the virus in the past week and a 22% decline from 60 days ago.

Statewide there were 132 ICU patients with coronavirus, including 14 in southwest Ohio and seven for west central Ohio, according to OHA.

It was a 36% decrease from last week for west central Ohio and a 7% decrease for southwest Ohio.

Compared to 60 days ago, southwest Ohio saw a 55% decline in ICU patients with the virus. West central Ohio recorded the same number of COVID patients in the ICU Thursday as it did 60 days ago.

In the past week, the state health department recorded 54 ICU admissions. It’s the first time Ohio reported 50 or more coronavirus ICU admissions in a week since March.

The state added 71 COVID deaths Thursday, bringing its total to 40,249, according to ODH.

More than 7.5 million Ohioans — or 64.24% of the state’s population — have started the coronavirus vaccine and nearly 6.96 million residents, or 59.54% of Ohioans, have finished it.

About 3.86 million Ohioans have received their first booster shot and 1.36 million have received their second, according to ODH. Since Sept. 1, more than 1 million people in the state have received the updated COVID booster, including 143,583 people who got the shot in the last week.