Coronavirus cases increased for the sixth straight week in Ohio, but continue to remain under 10,000 weekly.
On Thursday, the state reported 9,325 new cases, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
It’s the most weekly cases reported since Jan. 12, when Ohio added 10,188. The next week, cases dropped to 7,961, but they have increased every week since.
ODH recorded 395 COVID-19 hospitalizations in the past week, a slight decrease from the 435 cases reported on Feb. 23.
As of Thursday, there were 743 people hospitalized with COVID in Ohio, including 71 in west central Ohio and 94 in southwest Ohio, according to the Ohio Hospital Association.
West central Ohio includes Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Shelby counties and southwest Ohio is made up of Butler, Warren, Hamilton, Adams, Brown, Clermont and Clinton counties.
Southwest Ohio reported a 4% decrease in coronavirus inpatients compared to the previous week and a 54% decrease from 60 days ago.
In west central Ohio, there was a 5% decrease in people hospitalized with the virus over the last week and a 50% decrease over the past 60 days.
The state had 103 COVID patients in its ICUs Thursday, according to OHA.
There were eight ICU patients with the virus in west central Ohio, which was a 38% decrease compared to 60 days ago. The region recorded the same number of ICU patients with COVID a week ago.
Southwest Ohio had 14 ICU patients with coronavirus. It was a 36% decrease from last week and a 50% decrease over the past 60 days.
ODH recorded 36 ICU admissions in the last week.
Ohio added 63 COVID deaths on Thursday, bringing its total to 41,749, according to the state health department.
More than 64.7% of Ohioans have started the coronavirus vaccine and and 60% have finished it, according to ODH. Approximately 15.4% of residents have received the updated booster.
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