COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The Ohio Department of Health on Thursday reported 9,136 new COVID-19 cases, making for another small increase.
Weekly COVID-19 cases in the state have resided at four-digit levels for six weeks straight. While cases fell under 8,000 in mid-January, they teetered back above 9,000 toward the end of February. The numbers defied trends from the past two years, when COVID-19 infections historically swelled during and after the holiday season.
ODH began reporting COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, deaths and vaccinations weekly instead of daily in mid-March 2022 after new infections slowed to a low level after the omicron wave. Over the past seven days, the state averaged around 1,305 new coronavirus cases per day. The 435 hospitalizations reported by ODH in the past seven days -- about 62 per day -- increased above both the 349 reported last week and the 402 hospitalizations in the week prior.
COVID-19 deaths decreased while hospitalizations increased in Ohio. ODH said 71 people died from the virus, which was less than the 80 deaths the week prior but even with the 71 reported two weeks ago.
| COVID-19 metric | Total | Change (past 7 days) |
|---|---|---|
| Cases | 3,382,995 | +9,136 |
| Hospitalizations | 137,325 | +435 |
| Deaths | 41,686 | +71 |
Ohio saw a sizable increase in people getting COVID-19 vaccinations. Ohioans starting the vaccine rose to 2,827 compared to 1,954 in the week prior. Another 2,804 finished vaccination by getting their second dose, up from 2,070. Around six in 10 Ohioans are partially or fully vaccinated.
| COVID-19 metric | Total | Change (past 7 days) |
|---|---|---|
| Vaccinations started (one dose) | 7,570,989 | +2,827 |
| – % of all Ohioans | 64.77% | |
| – % of Ohioans 5+ | 68.25% | |
| Vaccinations completed (two doses) | 7,018,619 | +2,804 |
| – % of all Ohioans | 60.04% | |
| – % of Ohioans 5+ | 63.47% |
