Coronavirus: Butler, Montgomery counties remain at level 3

Both Butler and Montgomery counties' cases are being influenced by local universities, Gov. Mike DeWine said, but are also continuing to see small outbreaks at workplaces and long-term care facilities.

In Butler County, there were 545 student cases reported from Sept. 2 through 8 at Miami University.

At University of Dayton in Montgomery County, cases have started to decrease in the last few days, with less than 40 cases reported in the last three days.

Butler and Montgomery counties also remained in the state’s top 10 list of new cases by county population.

Butler County was ranked second and Montgomery was ranked fifth.

Though Clark County remains at level 2, it is starting to see cases increase, partially due to cases at Wittenberg University, said DeWine.

There have been more than 70 cases reported at the university this week.

Wittenberg University President Michael Frendsen said the university has pause in-person classes for two weeks and will offer instruction remotely in the meantime. The university encouraged students to remain on campus during this time to prevent the virus from spreading to other communities.

It is also trying to have structured, safe activities, such a corn hole tournament and take home crafts and baking projects, to keep students engaged.

Cases are dropping in Preble County despite its status as a red county. The governor said if cases continue to decrease at the same rate it could be a level 2 county by next Thursday.

DeWine announced that Dr. Joan Duwve will served as the next Ohio Department of Health director, following Dr. Amy Acton’s resignation earlier this year.

She is a graduate of the Ohio State University and North Olmsted High School near Cleveland.

Duwve is expected to begin her role as head of ODH on Oct. 1.

An native Ohioan, she worked as the director of public health at South Carolina’s department of health and environmental control.

As flu season approaches, health officials are concerned that getting coronavirus and the flu could be deadly for Ohioans, DeWine said.

He encouraged anyone who is able to get flu vaccine, especially essential workers, senior citizens and pregnant women, whose flu shot can protect their babies after their born.

The governor, Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted all received flu shots during the press conference to stress the importance of the vaccination.

More than 1,100 cases of coronavirus were reported in Ohio Thursday, the first time the daily cases number passed the 1,000 mark this week, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

There have been 134,086 total cases and 4,354 deaths reported in the state throughout the pandemic. Thirty deaths were reported in the last day.

Hospitalizations increased by 81, bringing the total to 14,164. There were 16 ICU admissions reported in the last day, bumping the total up to 3,070.

Starting next week school districts will begin reporting student and staff cases to local health departments every Tuesday. The data will be passed on to state health officials and be shared on the Ohio coronavirus website every Thursday.