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Ohio COVID Cases Climb To Highest Number In Two Months

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COLUMUBS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Ohio’s COVID numbers are higher than they’ve been in two months, as the number of new vaccinations inches up only slightly.

One of three students receives a Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine during Gov. Dewines visit Monday, April 12.
One of three students receives a Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine during the governors visit Monday, April 12. [Chris J. Day | WOUB]
Confirmed cases dropped a bit on Thursday to 789 new cases. That’s down from 1,067 new confirmed cases the day before. That was the highest number of confirmed cases seen since May 7, when there were 1,080 new confirmed cases reported.

The state reported 1,205 new total cases on Thursday, which is confirmed cases and probable cases added together. The 21-day reported total case average is 631. The 21-day confirmed case average is 415.

In May, when that earlier high number was hit, only about a third of the state’s total population was vaccinated. Just over 45% of the total population is fully vaccinated now.

But for the first time since June, total cases have climbed above 50 per 100,000 residents. That was the threshold set in March by Gov. Mike DeWine to end the statewide mask mandate.

It was ended in May, before that mark was reached – but also before a state law took effect that would have allowed lawmakers to vote to end it.

DeWine has said there’s “no appetite” to reinstitute a mask mandate, and the Ohio Department of Health has reiterated that. And there’s a bill that would ban schools from requiring masks.

DeWine also signed a law that takes effect in October banning mandatory COVID vaccines in public colleges and universities. But some schools that have students returning before then are requiring vaccines, and the Ohio Department of Health is recommending them.

The state has also said less than 1% of the 17,129 Ohioans hospitalized with COVID since January were vaccinated. And ODH data also shows of the 6,812 Ohioans who died of COVID during that same period, more than 99% were unvaccinated.