Ohio reports more than 3,000 new daily cases
Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff named Department of Health director.
For the first time in more than five months, Ohio has recorded more than 3,000 daily cases of the coronavirus.
The Ohio Department of Health reported 3,393 new daily cases Wednesday, bringing the state’s total to 1,149,318 since the pandemic began. It’s more than a 1,000 cases higher from the 2,326 new cases reported on Tuesday.
Ohio is averaging 1,430 cases a day in the last 21 days. In the last week, the state’s average is about 2,050 cases a day.
Ohio reported 147 hospitalizations Wednesday, the second-highest amount reported in the last three weeks. On Tuesday, the state hit its 21-day high with 159 hospitalizations reported, according to ODH. In the last three weeks, the state is averaging 74 hospitalizations a day.
The new statistics were released on the day that Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff was named the new Ohio Department of Health director with director Stephanie Mccloud returning to her previous position of Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation administrator.
“Working together as a team, Stephanie Mccloud and Bruce Vanderhoff guided the Ohio Department of Health over the past nine months. I am pleased that Dr. Vanderhoff has agreed to serve as Director of the Ohio
Department of Health,” Gov. Mike Dewine said. “His medi- cal and organizational expertise will help the department as we move forward and continue to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Previously, Vanderhoff was the ODH chief medi- cal officer.
As of Wednesday, 50.25% of Ohioans have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 46.6% have finished it. More than 10,000 people received their first shot in the last 24 hours, accord- ing to ODH.
Of those ages 12 and older, 58.73% of the state’s popu- lation have started the vaccine and 54.46% completed it. Currently, the coronavi- rus vaccine is only available to those ages 12 and older.
Fourteen ICU admissions were recorded in Ohio in the last day. The state is averag- ing eight a day over the last 21 days.
More than 350 coronavirus patients were in Ohio’s ICUS as of Wednesday. COVID patients account for 7.3% of the state’s ICU beds. More than 26.6% of Ohio’s beds are open.
Ohio Department of Health officials, including Vander- hoff, continue to push for more Buckeye state residents to get vaccinated.
Mccloud was named state health department director in November after a monthslong search to fill the role left vacant after Dr. Amy Acton stepped down in June 2020.
“I would also like to thank Stephanie Mccloud for her leaders h ip of the Ohio Department of Health and look forward to her return to lead the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation,” DEWine said.