All areas of the state are seeing increases in the number of COVID patients being treated in hospitals, in Intensive Care Units and on ventilators. Hospitalized COVID-positive patients are at an all-time high. pic.twitter.com/THCNFu5hHN
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) October 27, 2020
“We have no indication that we’ve plateaued out at all,” DeWine said. “We’re not at the point where any of our hospitals are overflowing, but our trend line is not good.”
Ohio has 82 counties with a high incidence of coronavirus spread, meaning a county has more than 100 cases per 100,000 people.
“As you can see, this virus is everywhere, and it is spreading,” the governor said. “This community spread endangers our schools, our nursing homes, and our hospitals.”
DeWine called for Ohioans to go back to the basics: wearing face masks, social distancing and avoiding large gatherings.
“We are Ohioans, we always come together," he said.
He asked that people living in high incidence counties reconsider attending gatherings of any size and to wear masks inside and outside where social distancing isn’t possible.
The governor also called on county leaders to double down on efforts to slow the spread of the virus. DeWine said his team will meet with county leaders via Zoom to discuss what each community is doing and what it can do in the future. The meetings will start with counties on the level 4 watch list, Clark, Cuyahoga and Hamilton, and then by counties with the highest incidence rate.
“Our goal will be to bring people together to learn what we can do to help the community, and for the community to chart a course to safely get them through this winter,” he said.
More than 2,500 cases of coronavirus were reported in Ohio Tuesday, bringing the total to 202,740, according to the ODH.
Ohio has doubled its positivity rate in the last month. As of Sunday, the state’s seven-day positivity rate average is 5.7% compared to 2.8% on Sept. 25.
Over the weekend the governor called for Ohioans to come together to slow the spread of the virus.
“We’re seeing in Ohio a huge increase in cases - much more than we saw in the spring and summer,” DeWine said. “Ohioans rallied together two other times, and I’m asking them to rally again now.”
He noted that though small events, such as birthday parties, bonfires, sleepovers and family get-togethers, seem innocent, they’re helping spread coronavirus.
“What’s so dangerous is that some people are carriers but don’t know it,” the governor said.
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