Ohio reports fewer than 10,000 COVID cases for second week in a row

The last time Ohio recorded fewer cases was April 21 when the state added 6,890 weekly cases.

It’s also the second week Ohio’s COVID hospitalizations remained lower than 400.

In the past week, 396 people were hospitalized with the virus and 369 hospitalizations were recorded the previous week, according to ODH.

As of Thursday, Ohio had 822 people hospitalized with COVID, including 58 people in west central Ohio and 109 in southwest Ohio, according to the Ohio Hospital Association.

For west central Ohio — which consists of Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Shelby counties — it was a 29% increase in COVID patients compared to last week, but a 50% decrease from 60 days ago.

Southwest Ohio reported a 2% decrease in patients hospitalized with the virus from last week and a 51% decrease from 60 days ago.

Butler, Warren, Hamilton, Adams, Brown, Clermont and Clinton counties make up southwest Ohio.

Statewide there were 111 people in ICUs with COVID on Thursday, including 20 in southwest Ohio.

West central Ohio had zero COVID patients in its ICUs, according to OHA. It was a 100% decrease from last week and 60 days ago.

Southwest Ohio saw a 5% decrease in coronavirus patients in its ICUs compared to last week and a 31% decrease from 60 days ago.

Ohio surpassed 40,000 coronavirus deaths Thursday. The state added 87 deaths Thursday, bringing its total to 40,037, according to ODH.

More than 7.48 million Ohioans — or approximately 64% of the state’s residents — have started the vaccine, according to the state health department. Nearly 6.94 million residents — or 59.37% of Ohioans — have finished it.

About 3.82 million people in Ohio have received their first booster shot and 1.13 million have their second dose. Since Sept. 1, 600,618 people in the state have received the updated booster health officials say offers better protection against current COVID variants.