Ohio COVID-19 cases continue to rise, top 2,500 on Friday

Ohio broke its record for daily coronavirus cases for the third straight day with 2,518 cases reported Friday (Source: “Coronavirus: Ohio tops 2,500 daily cases, breaks record for third straight day,” Dayton Daily News, Oct. 23).

The previous two records were 2,425 reported Thursday and 2,366 reported Wednesday. In the last two weeks, Ohio broke the state record for daily cases six times.

There have been 192,948 total cases in Ohio throughout the pandemic, according to the state health department.

Ohio reported 184 additional hospitalizations Friday, bringing the total to 17,866. Hospitalization rates have continued to climb the last two weeks in southwest Ohio, with nearly 200 more COVID-19 patients in hospitals. While the state’s hospital beds are not at capacity at this time, health officials are watching to see where hospitalizations will peak. Currently, there’s no indication of where hospitalizations will level off.

Ohio is also reporting the highest number of red counties since the state first announced the Ohio Public Health Advisory System at the end of June. As of Thursday, 74% of Ohioans are living in a level 3, or red, county. Only 1% of Ohioans live in a level 1 county. This is the lowest number of level 1 counties the state has had.