COLUMBUS – Worried about a spike in coronavirus cases, Gov. Mike DeWine says most Ohioans wearing masks is “our ticket” to a normal winter.
“Things will get better, but in all likelihood will get worse before they get better…The virus is tough, it’s cunning, it will not give up,” DeWine said during his Tuesday afternoon coronavirus briefing.
The 2,039 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 reported Wednesday was the highest for a single day since the pandemic began.
Ohio has averaged 1,475 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 per day, compared to an average of approximately 1,000 cases per day two weeks ago, DeWine said.
The state’s current positivity rate of 4.1% is much higher than the 2.7% percent on September 23 and 24, he said.
DeWine said a COVID-19 vaccine may not be in wide distribution in Ohio until July and encouraged Ohioans to wear face coverings, avoid large gatherings, maintain social distancing and wash their hands often to control the spread of the disease.
He linked the wearing of masks, which he says is done more often in urban areas than in rural parts of the state, to success in stemming the spread without instituting any further restrictions on schools or businesses.
“If we could do 85 percent or so statewide, every county, this winter will be a lot easier,” he said.
A total of 51 counties are considered high incidence and/or at Level 3 on Ohio’s Public Health Advisory System.
-0-
The state reported Thursday that a total of 173,665 Ohioans have contracted the disease with 5,033 deaths. There were 22,663 active cases.