COLUMBUS – Alarmed by a spike in COVID-19 cases, Gov. Mike DeWine has issued an impassioned warning against Ohioans gathering for big events like weddings and funerals.
“This has just got to stop. I mean, these lives are valuable,” he said during his regular Thursday coronavirus briefing, delivered from the Harding Presidential Center at the Marion home or Pres. Warren G. Harding, who was elected 100 years ago.
The state on Friday reported the highest single-day total of new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began — 1,840 — bringing the total number of Ohioans infected in 29 weeks to 166,102 with 4,994 deaths. The state’s positivity rate is 3.3%. The number of active cases grew by 995 to 19,466.
DeWine says 18 counties are considered “red” under the rating system for counties with high rates of the spread of the coronavirus, the most since July 23 (see illustration”, and that “benign” gatherings, like family get-togethers, church services and sporting events, have happened in at least half those counties.
“Additionally, there are 58 ‘orange’ counties this week, the highest ever. Ninety-six percent of Ohioans are living in a ‘red’ or ‘orange’ county,” DeWine said. “The virus continues to spread quickly throughout the state, and we need to continue staying at home when sick, wearing a mask when out, and keeping at least six feet between you and those outside of your household.”
The governor also said Thursday that even as cases rise in the state, the economy won’t be shut down again.
Ohio meanwhile raised fan limits to 12,000 for Browns and Bengals games.