Facing facts about November's numbers
Here’s help making sense of why cases have snowballed in the area.
The coronavirus pandemic exploded in November by nearly everymetric on a national, state and local level, and experts say it could be the beginning of the largest wave of infections yet.
The U.S. reported over 4 million COVID-19 cases in November, double the record set in October.
InOhio, about200,000COVID19 cases, 46% of the state’s total cases, occurred in November, according to data fromthe Ohio Department of Health. The stark numbers are not just a result of increased testing. On Wednesday, Ohio’s seven- day positivity rate surpassed 15%, meaning about 15% of all the COVID19 tests administered across the state are coming back positive.
On Nov. 6, Ohio reportedmore than5,000COVID-19 cases inone day for the fifirst time.
Then four days later, on Nov. 10, Ohio reported more than 6,000 cases.
The Ohio Department of Health’s website began displaying a disclaimer that data is incomplete because due to “unprecedented volume, thousands of reports are pending review.” Daily records kept getting smashed.
On Nov. 12, more than 7,000 cases were reported; then over 8,000 on Nov. 13. On Nov. 23, it was nearly 12,000 cases .
More than 7,000 people were in Ohio hospitals with COVID in November. That is a quarter of all hospitalizations due toCOVID19 in Ohio since the start of the pandemic.
Why the increase?
Area public health offifficials said the virus was always expected to flflare up in the winter months. Schools reopened in fall, many states rolled back restrictions and infections began to spread as people resumed small gatherings.