COVID cases continue to climb, hospitalizations up in Ohio

In the past three weeks, state has averaged 11,905 cases a week, according to the Ohio Health Department.

After recent weeks showing a decline in COVID-19 hospital and ICU admissions, both were up last week.

ODH reported 353 coronavirus hospital admissions and 36 ICU admissions in the past week.

In the last three weeks, the state is averaging 321 hospitalizations and 30 ICU admissions a week.

As of Thursday, Ohio had 524 people hospitalized with the virus, including 31 in west central Ohio and 66 in southwest Ohio, according to the Ohio Hospital Association.

Southwest Ohio includes Butler, Warren, Hamilton, Adams, Brown, Clermont and Clinton counties and west central Ohio consists of Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Shelby counties.

West central Ohio is seeing a 41% increase in COVID patients hospitalized in the region, and a 72% increase compared to three weeks ago, according to OHA. The number of coronavirus inpatients is up 8% in the last week in southwest Ohio and has climbed 53% over the last three weeks.

The state had 69 ICU patients with the virus on Thursday, including three in west central Ohio and six in southwest Ohio.

Southwest Ohio recorded a 20% increase in the last week, but a 0% change from three weeks ago, according to OHA.

Because west central Ohio had zero ICU patients with COVID last Thursday, a weekly percent change could not be calculated. However, compared to three weeks ago, the region is up 200%.

For the sixth week in a row, coronavirus deaths declined in Ohio. The state reported 57 deaths in the past week for a total of 38,550, according to ODH. It’s the fewest number of deaths since the state transitioned to weekly updates.

Approximately 62.5% of Ohioans have started the COVID vaccine, including 66.57% of people 5 and older. More than 58% of residents, including 61.77% of those 5 and older, have finished the vaccine, according to the state health department.

About 7.32 million Ohioans have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 6.79 million have completed it. More than 3.56 million residents have received a booster and 371,077 people have gotten a second booster shot, according to ODH.