The Butler County General Health District reported 2,873 total confirmed and presumed cases on Thursday, an increase of nearly 100 in two days. On Tuesday, the county reported 2,784 total cases.
Butler County remains at Level 2 (orange) in the state’s four-level, color-coded public health advisory system for the second straight week.
Last month, Butler County was at Level 3 (red) and at risk of being the first county to elevate to Level 4 (purple). No county has reached this level.
For Butler County to move to Level 1 (yellow), the data must improve in at least three more indicators, or have 10 cases per 100,000 residents over a two-week period. The county on Thursday was at 84.04 cases per 100,000, an improvement over the past seven days.
Butler County has lowered its number of new cases over the previous two weeks, according to the state. The county also has maintained a sustained increase of outpatient visits for COVID-19-suspected illnesses, the state reported Thursday.
Hamilton County on Thursday was downgraded from Level 3 to Level 2 for the first time since the public health reporting system was implemented.
Fairfield’s ZIP code (45014) has been the most impacted by COVID-19, but the percentage of Butler County’s cases from that ZIP code has been declining,.
The state’s data shows 62 coronavirus-related deaths in Butler County, with the last recorded death on Aug. 2. State data, however, is typically behind due to reporting delays.
The Butler County General Health District officials say deaths are only included in its counts if COVID-19 is listed as an immediate or directly underlying cause of death on the death certificate.
DeWine’s mask order issued on July 22 was put in place largely due to the fact that counties with mask mandates in place saw new cases slow.
As of Thursday, the number of Level 3 (red) counties dropped from 13 to 11. Two weeks ago, there were 23 Ohio counties at Level 3.
Butler County is one of 51 Ohio counties at Level 2 (orange). The remaining counties are at Level 1.
DeWine canceled his regular Thursday COVID-19 press conference as President Donald Trump visited the Cleveland area. The governor was to meet with Trump, but the 73-year-old DeWine tested positive for COVID-19 in a rapid test before the visit. He has no symptoms and will quarantine for 14 days with his wife, Fran, who was not tested, at their Cedarville home, according to spokesman Dan Tierney.
Lt. Gov. Jon Husted was also tested head of meeting the president, and his results were negative.
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