Ohio reports fewest number of COVID inpatients since August

Since mid-January, hospitalizations have continued to decrease throughout the state. The number of hospitalized COVID patients decreased 59% in the past three weeks and dropped 61% in the last 60 days, according to OHA. West central and southwest Ohio have seen a similar decline, but at a slightly slower pace.

In west central Ohio COVID inpatients decreased by 61% in three weeks and declined by 46% in 60 days. Southwest Ohio saw a 51% drop in hospitalized COVID patients over three weeks and a 35% decrease compared to 60 days ago.

The state is also seeing fewer coronavirus patients in its ICUs. Throughout Ohio, 395 ICU patients had COVID as of Thursday, according to OHA. West central Ohio had 38 COVID patients in its ICUs and southwest Ohio had 97.

West central Ohio reported a 58% decrease in coronavirus patients admitted to the ICU compared to three weeks ago as well as a 58% decrease from 60 days ago. In southwest Ohio, the number of ICU patients with COVID dropped 44% in three weeks and decreased by 46% in the last 60 days, according to OHA.

Ohio added 166 COVID hospitalizations and 21 ICU admissions Thursday, according to the Ohio Department of Health. The state is averaging 221 hospitalizations a day and 21 ICU admissions a day in the past three weeks.

For the third time in a week, the state recorded fewer than 2,000 daily coronavirus cases in a day. Ohio reported 1,999 cases Thursday and is averaging 4,154 cases a day over the last three weeks.

Ohio’s COVID transmission rate is also continuing to decrease with cases and hospitalizations. In the past two weeks Ohio averaged 255.8 COVID cases per 100,000 people, according to the state health department. It’s the lowest transmission rate reported since Aug. 12.

Despite this decrease, it’s still more than double the Centers for Disease Control Prevention’s standard for a high transmission rate. The CDC considers 100 cases or more per 100,000 people a high transmission rate. Cuyahoga County, which reported 97.5 COVID cases per 100,000 people, was the only county in Ohio that didn’t have a high transmission rate.

According to ODH, local counties reported the following transmission rate:

As of Thursday 61.65% of Ohioans have started the COVID vaccine, including 71.68% of adults and 65.52% of people ages 5 and older. Nearly 57% of the state has completed the vaccine, including 66.46% of adults and 60.5% of those 5 and older, according to ODH.

More than 7.2 million people in Ohio have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 6.53 million people have finished it. About 3.34 million people have received an additional vaccine dose.