Coronavirus: Montgomery, Butler counties remain high risk for virus exposure, spread

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Montgomery and Butler counties continue to have a very high risk of coronavirus exposure and spread, according to updated risk levels released Thursday.

Butler County was one of three counties approaching Level 4, the most severe level. Hamilton and Cuyahoga counties were the other two.

>> Coronavirus: Complete Coverage

From June 24 to 30, there were 181 cases reported in Butler County, the most weekly cases reported in the county since the start of the pandemic, Gov. Mike DeWine said.

The average new cases reported each day doubled from 15 to 29 between June 16 and July 3.

There were 12 counties, including Montgomery and Butler, in Level 3, an increase from seven counties last week.

Any counties that moved from Level 2 to Level 3 will be be under the mask order effective tomorrow at 6 p.m., DeWine said. A mask order went into effect for the original seven Level 3 counties Wednesday evening.

For Huron County, which went from a Level 3 to a Level 2, they will no longer be under the order.

In Montgomery County, more than 600 cases have been reported in the last 14 days, DeWine said.

From June 16 to July 3, outpatient coronavirus visits went from 14 to 48.

Of the county’s cases, 63% are not related to congregate facilities.

Eighteen counties went from Level 1, the least severe, to Level 2.

>> Coronavirus Alert Levels: What do they mean?

Though only 12 of Ohio’s 88 counties will be under the mask public health order, the governor urged all Ohioans to wear masks when in public.

If 75 to 80% of Ohioans wear mask, DeWine said it will make a “fundamental difference.”

“It will change the fall. It will change the winter,” he said. “Our destinies are in our own hands.”

>> Coronavirus: Here’s the Montgomery County Sheriff’s plans for new mask requirement

>> What to know about the new mask order in area counties

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The Ohio Department of Health is reporting a total of 61,331 total cases of coronavirus and 57,506 confirmed cases in the state, with 1,150 total cases reported over the last 24 hours.

There have been 3,006 total deaths and 2,749 confirmed deaths.

The state is reporting 8,570 hospitalizations and 2,146 ICU admissions.

Coronavirus hospitalizations have continued to increase during the pandemic.

On June 26, three were 619 coronavirus patients in hospital. Today there are 905, DeWine said.

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