Three Ohio Counties Approaching Alert Level Four
On Saturday, the Ohio Department of Health reported 64,214 total coronavirus cases, 8,770 total hospitalizations, and 3,036 deaths.
The new numbers increase Ohio’s totals by 1,358 cases, 69 hospitalizations, and 4 deaths.
44,101 people are presumed recovered. Presumed recovered is defined as cases with a symptom onset date of over 21 days prior who are not deceased.
Cases increased by 1,525 on Friday, the Ohio Department of Health said Friday’s increase is a new record for cases reported in a single day.
The 21-day averages for Ohio are 950 cases, 75 hospitalizations, and 16 deaths.
Governor Mike DeWine announced Thursday that 12 counties have triggered enough indicators to be at a Red Alert Level 3 on the state’s Public Health Safety Advisory Alert System, and three on approaching Alert Level 4.
Pickaway, Fairfield, Wood, Clermont, Lorain and Summit counties have been elevated to Red Alert Level 3. They join Franklin, Butler, Hamilton, Montgomery, Cuyahoga and Trumbull counties at that level.
Alert Level 3 indicates there is very high exposure and spread of COVID-19 and masks are mandated in those counties. DeWine said Butler, Hamilton and Cuyahoga counties are on a watch list and are approaching Alert Level 4.
Earlier in the week, Franklin County was on that watch list, but DeWine announced Thursday numbers have improved and the county is no longer approaching Alert Level 4.
The criteria for each alert level depends on how many of the seven indicators each county triggers.
The seven indicators are:
- New cases per capita
- A sustained increase in new cases
- Proportion of cases not congregate cases
- Sustained increase in ER visits
- Sustained increase in outpatient visits
- Sustained increase in new COVID-19 hospital admissions
- ICU bed occupancy
Learn more about the indicators and the Alert Levels here.
