Ohio reports fewer than 10,000 COVID cases for first time since April

Thursday marked the fifth straight week cases decreased in the state.

Hospital admissions were also down in the past week. Ohio reported 369 weekly hospitalizations Thursday compared to 432 the previous week, according to the state health department.

On Thursday, there were 774 hospitalized patients with COVID in Ohio, including 51 in west central Ohio and 109 in southwest Ohio, according to the Ohio Hospital Association.

For southwest Ohio — which includes Butler, Warren, Hamilton, Adams, Brown, Clermont and Clinton counties — it’s a 3% decrease from last week and a 44% decrease from 60 days ago.

West central Ohio — which is made up of Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Shelby counties — reported an 11% decrease in coronavirus inpatients from a week ago and a 63% decrease compared to 60 days ago, according to OHA.

As for the state’s ICUs, there were 111 inpatients with COVID statewide as of Thursday, including 19 in southwest Ohio and five in west central Ohio.

Southwest Ohio had a 12% increase in ICU patients with the virus compared to last week, but saw a 34% decrease from 60 days ago.

There was a 50% decrease in COVID patients in west central Ohio’s ICUS in the past week and a 62% decrease compared to 60 days ago, according to OHA.

Ohio added 27 weekly ICU admissions Thursday, according to ODH. It was up from 22 coronavirus ICU admissions reported the previous week.

The state also recorded 94 COVID deaths in the past week, bringing Ohio’s total to 39.950, according to ODH.

More than 7.48 million Ohioans —approximately 64% of the state’s population — has received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine and 6.93 million people — or 59.32% of Ohioans — have finished it.

About 3.81 million people in the state have received their first booster shot and 1 million have received a second booster.

Since Sept. 1, nearly 457.500 people have received the updated booster dose, which health officials say offers better protection to current COVID variants. In the past week, 131,987 people got the updated booster, according to ODH.