COVID-19 hits lowest levels in Ohio since July ’21 | News, Sports, Jobs

The number of COVID-19 cases in Ohio declined for the 10th straight week to levels not seen since just as the delta variant hit last July.

There were 37.2 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents for the period between March 17 and Wednesday, compared to 41.2 cases per 100,000 last week, according to Ohio Department of Health data provided Thursday.

The state had a 9.7 percent reduction in cases per 100,000 residents from last week.

Ohio had 49.4 cases per 100,000 residents two weeks ago, 70.4 cases per 100,000 residents three weeks ago, 104.7 cases per 100,000 residents four weeks ago and 160.7 cases per 100,000 residents five weeks ago.

It hit a record-high 2,154.8 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents 10 weeks ago. The case rate has declined 98.3 percent since then.

It was the 10th consecutive week of declines after 11 straight weeks of increases.

Of the state’s 88 counties, only Hocking and Monroe are at high risk this week, according to the ODH.

The rate hasn’t been this low statewide since July 15, 2021, when 27 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents were reported by the ODH.

Thursday’s report was the third weekly one from the ODH, which switched March 13 from daily to weekly reports as cases decline in the state.

The daily updates had been provided for two years, dating back to March 2020 when the first COVID-19 cases were reported in Ohio. A total of 3,103 COVID-19 cases and 249 deaths were reported in the last week.

Also, the state’s COVID-19 hospitalization rate has declined from its Jan. 11 peak of 6,729 to 361 Thursday, according to Ohio Hospital Association statistics.

VALLEY RATES

The rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents dropped in Trumbull and Columbiana counties but experienced a small increase in Mahoning during the past week.

Mahoning is 38th in the state this week among the 88 counties with 35 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents. It was 54th last week with 34.5 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents.

Mahoning was 60th two weeks ago with 44.6 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents, 68th three weeks ago with 54.2 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents, 71st four weeks ago with 77.8 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents and 69th five weeks ago with 126.4 COVID-19 cases per 100,000.

Trumbull is 29th in the state this week with 39.9 cases per 100,000 residents. It was 22nd last week with 50 cases per 100,000 residents.

Trumbull was 30th two weeks ago with 59.1 cases per 100,000 residents, 64th three weeks ago with 59.6 cases per 100,000 residents, 69th four weeks ago with 79.8 cases per 100,000 residents and 72nd five weeks ago with 126.4 cases per 100,000.

Columbiana is 50th this week with 31.4 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents.

It was 29th last week with 46.1 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents.

Columbiana was 55th two weeks ago with 46.1 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents, 47th three weeks ago with 76.1 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents, 32nd four weeks ago with 132.5 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents and 41st five weeks ago with 185.5 COVID-19 cases per 100,000.

The ODH measures cases per 100,000 residents among counties to get a fair comparison because total cases likely would result in more-populous counties ranking higher.

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