Hospitalizations rose by 163, bringing the total to 19,132. Intensive care unit admissions increased by 18, bringing total ICU admissions to 3,859. The current 21-day reported hospitalization average is 132 people.
Local hospitals leaders say they have capacity for COVID-19 and non-coronavirus patients alike, but as counts rise, they are urging the public take precautions to limit further spread and protect each other.
Hospitals both locally and statewide are reporting the most COVID-19 patients since the start of the pandemic. This comes as flu season begins and as patients who had procedures previously cancelled are now seeking to return.
For the local hospital coordinating region, about 85% of ICU beds were occupied as of Oct. 29 and 12.6% were occupied with COVID-19 patients.
The threshold for the Ohio Public Health Advisory system is 80% of ICU beds occupied and 20% of beds occupied with COVID-19 patients for at least three days in the last week. Keeping under that threshold indicates hospitals can handle a surge of severely ill patients.
Statewide, COVID-19 hospitalizations have been climbing in October and nationally counts are also rising.
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