At Level 4, the advisory would change to encourage an end to non-essential trips from the home.
MORE CORONAVIRUS: Coronavirus: 62,856 total cases, 3,032 deaths reported in Ohio
The color-coded system is based on seven data indicators ranging from new cases per capita to sustained increases in emergency room visits, according to the Butler County General Health District. Butler, Hamilton and Cuyahoga counties were the three Level 3 counties at risk for moving to Level 4, DeWine said Thursday. That could happen next week.
From June 24 to 30, there were 181 coronavirus cases reported in Butler County, the most weekly cases reported in the county since the start of the pandemic earlier this year, the governor said. The average new cases reported each day nearly doubled from 15 to 29 between June 16 and July 3.
Also this week, DeWine mandated mask-wearing in public in multiple counties — including Butler, Hamilton and Montgomery — after a new state data system determined they had very high exposure and spread of the coronavirus.
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DeWine said the public’s attitudes have changed about mask-wearing. He said that when he first announced the reopening of the state’s economy, he suggested mask-wearing for everyone out in public. But people complained, he said, and he ended up backing off the order.
“People in the state of Ohio were not ready for that,” DeWine said Thursday. “So what we have done is we’ve waited. The situation is more serious, we now have the ability to target those counties with data. We can tell by data, those counties that are most at risk and say, ‘OK we’re going to have this mask order for these counties that hit red or hit purple.’”
There have been 62,856 total cases of coronavirus and 3,032 deaths attributed to the virus in Ohio, according to the state health department.
The Ohio Department of Health reported 8,701 hospitalizations and 2,161 ICU admissions in its most recent data.
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In response to DeWine’s mandate, several Butler County agencies are distributing 150,000 free masks to local residents, said Jennifer Bailer, Butler County health commissioner. The Butler County Emergency Management Agency dropped off 3,000 masks at the two fire stations in Fairfield Twp., officials said.
Butler County was one of seven Ohio counties designated for the mandatory mask order for those out in public and unable to maintain social distancing from others. Face masks must also be worn while waiting for and using public transportation, as well as taxis, ride-sharing vehicles or a private care service, Bailer said.
The use of face coverings can limit the release of infected droplets when talking, coughing, and/or sneezing, as well as reinforce physical distancing, she said.
Madison Local School District was the first in the area to ban its athletes from practicing and playing youth sports on campus in the wake of a recent spike in coronavirus cases, which it announced Thursday.
“The recent surge in Butler County cases has caused us to re-evaluate our activities and the possibility of spread during these events,” officials said. “We know that this is a decision that will affect many but also understand our civic responsibility to do everything possible to make sure that school can open as scheduled including not providing a chance for exposure in these activities.”
Madison Superintendent Lisa Tuttle-Huff told the Journal-News district officials took the unprecedented action in response to DeWine’s comments earlier in the day about Butler County’s continued jump in coronavirus cases moving it closer to Level 4 state category, which is the highest warning level.
Staff writer Michael Clark contributed to this report.
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