Ohio surpasses 5,000 daily COVID cases for first time in weeks

Ohio reported more than 5,000 daily COVID-19 cases for the first time in almost a month Wednesday.

The state recorded 5,527 cases in the last day, according to the Ohio Department of Health. The last time more than 5,000 cases were reported in a day was Oct. 14.

COVID cases have been declining in Ohio for weeks following the delta surge this summer. Cases were appearing to plateau recently, but Wednesday marked the second day in a row Ohio reported a 21-day high for daily cases.

The state’s 21-day average is 3,720 cases a day, according to ODH. However, in the last week Ohio is averaging 4,227 cases a day.

More than 25,000 Ohioans ages 5 to 11 have started the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine in the last week, according to the state health department. As of Wednesday, 25,688 residents have received the pediatric vaccine, accounting for about 2.58% of kids ages 5 to 11 in Ohio.

The White House reported about 900,000 children 5 to 11 nationwide have started the vaccine, according to the Associated Press.

Nearly 56% of Ohioans have received at least one dose of the vaccine, including 67.26% of adults and 59.49% of those 5 and older. Fifty-two percent of residents have completed the vaccine, including 62.84% of adults and 55.27% of Ohioans 5 and older, according to ODH.

After reporting a 21-day high of 321 COVID hospitalizations Tuesday, daily hospitalizations dropped to 241 on Wednesday. Ohio had 2,430 COVID-19 patients in its hospitals Wednesday, with 658 in ICUs and 460 on ventilators.

Coronavirus patients accounted for 9.3% of the state’s hospital beds, 14.24% of ICU beds and 9.64% of ventilators, according to ODH.

Ohio has 5,169 (19.7%) hospital beds, 987 (21.36%) ICU beds and 3,034 (63.61%) ventilators available.

In the last three weeks the state is averaging 180 hospitalizations and 20 ICU admissions a day. Ohio reported 28 ICU admissions on Wednesday.

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