The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Lake top 8K total COVID-19 cases
Number of new cases down from prior week
For the first time since Oct. 6, Lake County saw a decrease in new novel coronavirus cases, but the 1,386 new cases reported between Nov. 24 and Dec. 1 was the third highest weekly total the county has seen.
As of 2 p.m. Dec. 1, Lake County had 8,212 cumulative COVID-19 cases, according to the Lake County General Health District. The Ohio Department of Health presumes that 4,114 Lake County residents have recovered. ODH defines presumed recovered as those with a symptom onset date greater than 21 days prior who are not deceased.
Between Sept. 29 and Oct. 6., Lake County saw 51 new COVID-19 cases, a decrease from 71 reported the week prior. After that date until Dec. 1, a weekly increase in new cases was reported. Between Oct. 20 and Oct. 27, a then-record 205 new COVID-19 cases was reported. A new weekly record would be set every week for the next four weeks, culminating with 1,629 new cases reported between Nov. 17 and Nov. 24.
Lake County on Nov. 25 was placed on Level 4 (purple), the highest level of the state’s COVID-19 Public Health Advisory
System. The Lake County General Health District is advising residents to stay home and only leave home as necessary for health, safety, work, obtaining essential supplies and services, outdoor activity, and providing care for others in need.
As of Nov. 30, Lake County’s two-week COVID-19 incidence rate per 100,000 population was 1,069.7, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
That is more than 10 times the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s definition of high incidence, 100 cases per 100,000 population. That was a decrease from 1,149.26 cases per 100,000 population reported Nov. 24. As of Nov. 30, Lake County had the third highest incidence
rate in the state.
Lake County saw its new hospitalizations drop for the second straight week. There were 17 new reported hospitalizations in the county between Nov. 24 and Dec. 1. There were 29 reported the week prior. The past two weeks have followed two weeks of record-setting COVID-19 hospitalizations in Lake County. Between Nov. 3 and Nov. 10, there were 32 hospitalizations and then between Nov. 17 and Nov. 24 there were 34 new hospitalizations.
The county had 322 cumulative hospitalizations as of 2 p.m. Dec. 1. About 4 percent of Lake County’s coronavirus cases have led to hospitalization, according to the Lake County General Health District’s data. The average age
of a person hospitalized in Lake County is 65 years old. In 59 percent of cases, the hospitalized person had a known preexisting condition. The average hospital stay has been 6.6 days, according to the health district’s data.
No new ICU admissions were reported in the past week. Lake County has 49 cumulative COVID-19-related ICU admissions. One new COVID-19 death was reported in Lake County, bringing the total to 67.
The average age of the Lake County residents who have died from COVID-19 is 83. According to the health district, 87 percent of those who have died had a known preexisting condition.
The health district’s data shows 66 percent who have died resided
in congregate living. Definitive cause of death can take weeks to determine, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
Scam alert
The Lake County General Health District stated that the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services has learned of a scam targeting current and past recipients of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.
“The notifications appear to be from ODJFS and contain the agency’s logo, but are not legitimate,” the health district stated. “They instruct those targeted to click on a link to obtain a pandemic stimulus benefit. These types of alerts are not sent by ODJFS, and are likely phishing attempts.”