COLUMBUS – Virus cases in Ohio hit a new record as the state grapples with a concerning uptick in virus-related hospitalizations and deaths.
The Ohio Department of Health shows daily reported cases of COVID-19 reached 2,366 on Wednesday, surpassing the previous record of cases set Saturday.
While hospitals around the United States are starting to buckle from a resurgence of COVID-19 cases, Dr. Andy Thomas, of the OSU Wexner Medical Center says Ohio hospitals can accommodate a continued increase in cases.
“At some point, if the numbers just continue to rise and rise and rise, we’ll run into some difficult decisions to make, but right now we feel we have the capacity in our hospitals. We have surge capacity,” he said during Gov. Mike DeWine’s regular coronavirus briefing Tuesday.
This is the third time since the pandemic began that Ohio has seen a spike in hospitalizations (see illustration).
State data shows more than 1,250 Ohioans are currently hospitalized with the virus, an increase of 351 new patients since Monday. The 216 on Tuesday was the highest single-day total ever and more than 50 hospitalizations more than the previous high in mid-July. The 135 added on Wednesday was still above the three-week average of 94.
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The total number of Ohioans diagnose with COVID-19 since the pandemic began is 188,005 with 5,149 deaths. There were 66 additional deaths reported Wednesday, well above the three-week average of 14.
Following an increase in community spread in Ohio initiated by small social gatherings, the White House Coronavirus Task Force strongly recommends that Ohioans limit gatherings with family and friends.
“It’s the same thing I’m hearing when I speak with county health commissioners. They are seeing the most spread in Ohio from informal gatherings. We can’t let our guard down; we must keep our masks on,” DeWine said, while also urging caution for sports fans who gather this weekend to watch the Ohio State, Browns, and Bengals football games.
Ohioans are encouraged to reconsider travel to 10 states experiencing high rates of spread (above). The state health department says South Dakota, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Alabama and Utah all have high positivity rates while rates for Mississippi, Nevada and Wyoming are “likely high.”