Ohio’s 2-day coronavirus case total hits 17,065

Members of Montgomery County Public Health and the Ohio National Guard help with pop-up testing Tuesday at Kettering Fields, 444 North Bend Blvd. Results from the latest coronavirus pop-up testing site are expected in a more timely manner and results are accessible online to patients, following a switch to a new laboratory. JIM NOELKER/STAFF

Members of Montgomery County Public Health and the Ohio National Guard help with pop-up testing Tuesday at Kettering Fields, 444 North Bend Blvd. Results from the latest coronavirus pop-up testing site are expected in a more timely manner and results are accessible online to patients, following a switch to a new laboratory. JIM NOELKER/STAFF

The number of COVID-19 cases statewide increased Friday to 399,808 since the pandemic began in March.

Coronavirus cases in Ohio increased 17,065 in two days since numbers were last reported on Wednesday, according to new Ohio Department of Health data released Friday. The state did not post new numbers on the Thanksgiving holiday.

The daily average reported during the past seven days is 9,197 cases.

Deaths in Ohio since the pandemic began in March now stand at 6,346, according to the new data. That is 72 more than the last figures released on Wednesday.

The state reached 25,960 hospitalizations since the pandemic began, Friday’s numbers revealed. That is an increase of 474 since Wednesday’s report.

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The data released Friday includes cases that would have been reported on Thanksgiving. However, the numbers are still incomplete due to a surge in testing.

“Because of unprecedented volume, thousands of reports are pending review,” the ODH posted on its COVID-19 Dashboard.

Gov. Mike DeWine’s regularly scheduled press conference also will take a break for the holiday. On Tuesday he said the next coronavirus press conference would likely be Monday or Tuesday next week.

The updated county alert levels, which the state typically shared on Thursdays, were released on Wednesday. Montgomery, Lake and Lorain counties all moved to level 4, joining Franklin County.

Warren County was one of 11 counties placed on the level 4 watch list.

“The ongoing high prevalence of the virus throughout Ohio, as reflected in today’s alert system update, is very dangerous as we move into the holidays,” DeWine said Wednesday. “We have heard again this week from hospital administrators and front-line staff about how they are overwhelmed. It is imperative that Ohioans take the virus and this current situation seriously.”

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