Ohio sees slight uptick in COVID cases, hospitalizations

After weeks of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations declining following the omicron surge last winter, Ohio is seeing a slight increase.

In the past week the state recorded 6,890 coronavirus cases — 2,000 more than the 4,808 reported in the previous week, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

Ohio is averaging 5,175 weekly cases in the past three weeks. It’s the highest three-week average since the state transitioned to weekly updates on March 17.

However, the increase in cases is slight when compared to Ohio’s peak. On Jan. 16, the state recorded more than 26,000 cases in the previous 24 hours.

Ohio is seeing a similar increase with hospitalizations. There were 428 people admitted to hospitals with COVID in the state last week, according to ODH. It’s the most people hospitalized with the virus since the state moved to weekly updates. In the past two weeks, Ohio reported 317 and 257 weekly hospitalizations.

The state’s weekly average over the past three weeks is 334.

While overall the state is seeing an increase in hospital admissions, most of Ohio is seeing a decrease in patients hospitalized with the virus.

As of Thursday, there were 311 people hospitalized in the state with COVID-19, including 15 in west central Ohio and 42 in southwest Ohio, according to the Ohio Hospital Association.

Southwest Ohio consists of Butler, Warren, Hamilton, Adams, Brown, Clermont and Clinton counties. The region’s seen a 24% decrease in hospitalized patients with the virus in the last week and a 41% decrease in the past three weeks.

The number of patients hospitalized with COVID in west central Ohio — which includes Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Shelby counties — increased by 88% in the past week and is up 36% from three weeks ago. The region did not have any ICU patients with the virus as of Thursday.

Statewide, there was 47 patients in the ICU with coronavirus, including eight in southwest Ohio. It’s a 14% increase com

pared to last week for southwest Ohio, but a decrease of 53% in the last three weeks, according to OHA.

In the last week Ohio added 19 COVID ICU admissions, according to the state health department. It’s a slight decrease from the 29 reported last week and just under the three-week average of 20 weekly coronavirus admissions.

Nearly 62.5% of Ohioans have started the COVID vaccine, including 72.49% of adults and 66.39% of those 5 and older. Just under 58% of residents are finished with the vaccine, including 67.42% of adults and 61.57% of people 5 and older, according to ODH.

Approximately 7.3 million Ohioans have received at least one dose of the vaccine 6.77 million have completed it as of Thursday. About 3.52 million people in the state received a booster or additional dose and 210,000 have received a second booster.