Ohio records fewer than 14,000 COVID cases for 2nd straight week

For the second week in a row Ohio reported fewer than 14,000 COVID-19 cases.

The state added 13,895 weekly cases on Thursday and 13,047 on Dec. 29, according to the Ohio Department of Health. Prior to Dec. 29, Ohio recorded more than 16,000 coronavirus cases for four consecutive weeks.

Ohio reported 709 coronavirus hospitalizations in the past week. It’s the sixth straight week the state had more 600 hospitalizations, but the first time since July 28 it surpassed 700 weekly hospitalizations.

There were 1,384 people hospitalized with COVID in Ohio Thursday and 197 with the virus in the state’s ICUs, according to the Ohio Hospital Association.

Of those hospitalized, 136 were in west central Ohio and 213 were in southwest Ohio.

Southwest Ohio — which includes Butler, Warren, Hamilton, Adams, Brown, Clermont and Clinton counties — reported a 7% increase in patients hospitalized with the virus compared to last week and a 73% increase compared to 60 days ago.

It was a 6% increase in COVID inpatients compared to the previous week in west central Ohio and a 56% increase from 60 days ago, according to OHA. West central Ohio consists of Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Shelby counties.

There were 16 ICU patients with coronavirus in west central Ohio and 23 in southwest Ohio as of Thursday.

West central Ohio saw a 33% increase in ICU patients with virus over the last week and a 60% increase in the past 60 days.

For southwest Ohio, it was an 8% decrease compared to the previous week but a 35% increase compared to 60 days ago, according to OHA.

The state health department reported 45 weekly ICU admissions.

Ohio added 105 coronavirus deaths Thursday, bringing its total to 41,033, according to ODH.

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