Ohio sets another COVID-19 record on Friday, 8,071 positive cases

Ohio's worsening COVID-19 pandemic continued on Friday with a record 8,071 new cases (Source: “New daily Ohio COVID-19 cases jump nearly 1,000 to a record 8,071,” Columbus Dispatch, Nov. 13).

The prior record of 7,101 new infections came on Thursday as cases have increased from an average of about 1,000 per day in mid-September to more than 4,200 per day now. The state also reported an above-average 298 hospitalizations and 42 more deaths, nearly twice the average, from the deadly virus on Friday.

The positive rate on tests remained high at 12.9% on the latest available day (Wednesday). The seven-day average positivity rate rose to 11.2%, a figure not seen since early in the outbreak. That number stood at 2.7% about seven weeks ago.

HPIO has updated analysis it conducted for its August COVID-19 data brief comparing COVID-19 deaths in Ohio to the leading causes of death in 2018 (the most-recent year for which complete data is available). As show in the graphic below, COVID-19 deaths now outpace causes such as Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, influenza/pneumonia and drug overdose deaths for all of 2018.