Clark County drops to ‘low’ COVID-19 transmission level

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

COVID-19 community spread is now at a low level in Clark and Champaign counties, and the state reported fewer than 10,000 weekly coronavirus cases for the first time in more than five months.

The state recorded 9,997 cases in the last week, according to the Ohio Department of Health. The last time Ohio had fewer than 10,000 weekly cases was on April 28 when the state added 8,731 cases to its total.

Clark County dropped from a medium to a low transmission level on Thursday, and Champaign County remained low this week, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Residents of counties with a low level of transmission should stay up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccines and get tested if they have symptoms, according to the CDC.

The CDC designations are based on the number of new coronavirus cases per 100,000 people in the past week, new COVID hospital admissions and the percent of staffed inpatient hospital beds occupied by coronavirus patients.

Hospital admissions were 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 (OHA).

For west central Ohio — Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Shelby counties — an 11% decrease in coronavirus inpatients from a week ago and a 63% decrease compared to 60 days ago were reported, according to OHA.

Health districts in Clark and Champaign counties continue to administer vaccines to eligible people.

As of Friday, roughly 51.7% of Clark County’s and 43.4% of Champaign County’s populations have completed their vaccine series.

The Clark County Combined Health District can be reached at 937-717-2439 to schedule an appointment, and the Champaign County Health District can be reached at 937-484-1667.

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.

As of Friday, more than 40,000 cases have been reported in Clark County and more than 10,000 reported in Champaign County, according to ODH.

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