“We’re continuing to see a troubling increase of COVID 19 cases statewide,” ODH Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff said Thursday. “The increases in cases and hospitalizations can largely be contributed to the delta variant.”
On July 7, Ohio’s cases per 100,000 people was as low as 17.6, he said. From July 22 to Aug. 4, it was 125.1 cases with more than 50 counties reporting more than 100 cases per 100,000 people.
Ohio reported 130 hospitalizations on Thursday, making it the third day in a row with more than a hundred hospitalizations.
On Tuesday Ohio recorded a 21-day high of 159 hospitalizations and 147 on Wednesday, according to ODH.
The state added 13 ICU admissions, bringing its total to 8,582. It’s averaging eight ICU admissions a day in the last three weeks.
With cases and hospitalizations rising, the state is monitoring its hospital, ICU and ventilator capacity.
“While we have substantial hospital and ventilator capacity here in Ohio other states are beginning to turn away elective procedures,” Vanderhoff said. “We don’t want to see our hospitals here in Ohio to face such a scenario.”
As of Thursday, COVID patients accounted for 4.4% of hospital beds, 7.64% ICU beds and 4% of ventilators, according to ODH. The state has 23.7% of hospital beds, 26.56% of ICU beds and 72.2% of ventilators available.
To avoid hospitals from getting overwhelmed, Vanderhoff encouraged eligible Ohioans to get vaccinated or continue to wear a mask.
More than 50% of Ohioans and 58.8% of those 12 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
As of Thursday, more than 46.5% of residents and 54.4% of Ohioans 12 and older have finished the vaccine.
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