COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The Ohio Department of Health on Thursday reported 8,999 new COVID-19 cases, continuing a slow uptick barely under 9,000.

Weekly COVID-19 cases in the state have resided at four-digit levels for five weeks straight. While cases fell under 8,000 in mid-January, they teetered back above moving into February before inching closer to 9,000. 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 1,285 new coronavirus cases per day. The 349 hospitalizations reported by ODH in the past seven days -- about 50 per day -- decreased below the 402 reported last week, as well as the 387 hospitalizations in the week prior.

COVID-19 deaths increased while hospitalizations decreased in Ohio. ODH said 80 people died from the virus compared to 71 deaths the week prior, still lower than the 109 reported two weeks ago.

COVID-19 metricTotalChange (past 7 days)
Cases3,373,859+8,999
Hospitalizations136,890+349
Deaths41,615+80
*Ohio Department of Health reports weekly on Thursdays.

COVID-19 vaccinations did not see any major rise or fall in the two-week period. Ohioans starting the COVID-19 vaccination process fell under 2,000 in the last seven days, with 1,954 getting shots compared to 2,048 in the week prior. Another 2,070 finished vaccination by getting their second dose, down slightly from 2,155. Around six in 10 Ohioans are partially or fully vaccinated.

COVID-19 metricTotalChange (past 7 days)
Vaccinations started (one dose)7,568,162+1,954
– % of all Ohioans64.75%
– % of Ohioans 5+68.23%
Vaccinations completed (two doses)7,015,815+2,070
– % of all Ohioans60.02%
– % of Ohioans 5+63.45%
*Ohio Department of Health reports weekly on Thursdays.