Cases are continuing to decline in Ohio, with it’s 21-day average dropping to 4,296 cases a day. Last Monday, the state was averaging 5,038 cases in the previous three weeks, according to the Ohio Department of Health. In the last week, Ohio’s average is 3,526 cases a day.
“I remain cautiously optimistic that we’ll continue to see our cases decline as we move forward,” ODH Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff said in a Monday press conference. “But this optimism must be tempered by the fact that our cases are still very high, especially among our children.”
The 2,325 cases reported Monday are similar to what Ohio reported a year ago as it was beginning its winter surge. On Oct. 26, 2020, the state reported 2,116 daily cases.
While the Ohio’s delta surge has declined in recent weeks, the variant is still responsible for most of the state’s COVID cases.
Ohio use genomic sequencing on COVID-19 positive PCR tests to track which variants are spreading in the state. Results can take three to four weeks, and the state can only sequence PCR test specimens with enough of a sample remaining.
From Sept. 26 through Oct. 9, 99.81% of the specimens sequenced were attributed to the delta variant, according to ODH. During the previous two-week period, the delta variant was detected in 98.51% of samples.
Vanderhoff said he’s hopeful that hospitalizations will drop as cases decline.
Over the last two weeks the state has seen a slight but steady decrease in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
On Oct. 12, Ohio had 3,405 COVID-19 inpatients, including 943 in ICUs and 646 on ventilators, according to ODH. On Monday there were 2,574 COVID-19 patients in Ohio’s hospitals, 757 in ICUs and 493 on ventilators.
In the last day, the state has recorded 142 hospitalizations and 21 ICU admissions. Ohio’s 21-average is 235 hospitalizations a day and 22 ICU admissions a day, according to the state health department.
As of Monday, 55.1% of Ohioans have started the COVID-19 vaccine, including 66.48% of adults and 64.4% of those 12 and older.
Nearly 51.4% of residents completed the vaccine, according to ODH. More than 62% of adults and 60.16% of Ohioans 12 and older have finished the vaccine.
About the Author