Ohio reports fewer than 2,000 COVID daily cases, shows signs of plateauing

Ohio is showing signs of coronavirus cases plateauing as it reported fewer than 2,000 daily cases for the sixth consecutive day.

The state recorded 1,724 daily cases Thursday, bringing the total to 1,060,119, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

Over the last 21 days, Ohio reported an average of 1,908 cases a day.

For most of 2021, Ohio saw a decrease in cases in hospitalizations. However, in the last two weeks daily cases started to climb back over 2,000 and the number of COVID patients hospitalized in the state began to increase.

Gov. Mike DeWine noted on Wednesday that though the state’s cases are starting to level off again, the number is too high.

As of Thursday, Ohio’s case rate per 100,000 people is 185.8, a decrease last week’s rate of 200 cases per 100,000.

If Ohio reports less than 50 cases per 100,000 people for two straight weeks, all the state’s public health orders will be lifted.

DeWine also expressed concerns over hospitalizations. Thursday is the fourth straight day Ohio recorded more than 100 hospitalizations in a day. According to ODH, state’s 21-day average is 103 hospitalizations.

As of Thursday, 1,245 people were in the state’s hospitals with COVID. After linger above 1,300 hospitalized patients for a few days last week, the number has remained below 1,300 for the last three days.

The state reported 15 ICU admissions in the last day, just over the 21-day average of 12. Throughout the pandemic, Ohio has recorded 7,607 total ICU admissions.

DeWine continued to encourage Ohioans to get vaccinated against COVID on Wednesday.

“Just because the numbers are getting better and more people are getting vaccinated, the virus is now more dangerous than it was a few months ago for those who haven’t been vaccinated,” he said.

In an effort to increase vaccinations, Ohio is releasing three new public service announcements.

In one video, Frederic Bertley, president and CEO of COSI, discusses what is in the COVID vaccine.

As of Thursday, nearly 4,488,000 people in Ohio have received at least dose of the vaccine and 3,304,000 have finished it.

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