In the last 21 days, Ohio averaged 631 cases a day, according to ODH. However in the last week the state is averaging 929 cases a day.
ODH Chief Medical Officer Bruce Vandheroff said earlier this week the spike in coronavirus is likely due to the delta variant, which is believed to be 50% more contagious than Ohio’s previous dominant strain, the alpha variant.
“It simply takes less of this virus to spread from the mouth or the nose of an infected persons to that of another non-infected person,” he said.
To prevent a third wave of cases and hospitalizations, health officials are encouraging people to get vaccinated or wear masks.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated guidance this week to recommend face masks for vaccinated people while indoors in regions were COVID transmission rates are spiking.
Butler, Champaign, Clinton, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, Shelby and Warren counties all meet the CDC’s criteria for either high or substantial COVID transmission.
Masks are still encouraged for the unvaccinated as well.
As of Thursday, nearly 5,735,000 people in Ohio have started the vaccine, according to ODH, and more than 5,745,000 people have finished it.
Ohio also reported 80 daily hospitalizations for the second day in a row. The state is averaging 47 hospitalizations a day in the last 21 days.
Six ICU admissions were recorded in the last day, bringing Ohio’s total to 8,458 during the pandemic.
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