12 counties now under Level 3 of Ohio’s coronavirus alert system

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WJW) — Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Health released a new map for the Ohio Public Health Advisory Alert System, which determines a county’s risk for coronavirus.

As of Thursday, twelve Ohio counties, including Cuyahoga and Erie, are considered a Level 3 emergency, which means there’s very high exposure and spread of COVID-19.

Ohio’s updated Public Health Advisory System map:

Newly Red Since Last Week:
⬆Brown
⬆Clermont
⬆Muskingum

Continuing at Red:
↔Cuyahoga
↔Erie
↔Fairfield
↔Franklin
↔Licking
↔Lucas
↔Marion
↔Mercer
↔Montgomery

Decreasing to Orange:
⬇Allen
⬇Medina pic.twitter.com/Yr4zKwU620
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) August 13, 2020

The alert rankings are based on the following factors: new cases per capita, sustained increase in new cases, proportion of cases that are not in congregate settings, sustained increase in COVID-19-related emergency room visits, sustained increase in COVID-19-related outpatient visits including telehealth, sustained increase in COVID-19 hospital admissions and intensive care unit occupancy.

Counties in Level 3, or the Red Level, meet four or five of the aforementioned indicators.

Last week Ohio had eleven counties under a Level 3 alert. Here’s a look at what has changed in the last even days:

Upgraded to Level 3: Brown, Clermont, Muskingum
Downgraded to Level 2: Allen, Medina

Since the pandemic began, there have been 105,426 total confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Ohio, resulting in 3,755 deaths. (Note: These numbers are as of August 13, 2020.)

Here are the Ohio counties with the most coronavirus cases:

Franklin: 19,124
Cuyahoga: 13,999
Hamilton: 9,917
Lucas: 5,544
Montgomery: 4,544

Here are the Ohio counties with the most coronavirus deaths:

Franklin: 533
Cuyahoga: 519
Lucas: 324
Hamilton: 260
Mahoning: 258

You can find our interactive map with a county-by-county breakdown of the indicators contributing to each color designation at https://t.co/58Cg4HJ1uM #InThisTogetherOhio #MasksOnOhio pic.twitter.com/CoN3bWgHsY
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) August 13, 2020

The governor also shared a map during his Thursday afternoon press conference comparing Ohio school districts’ back to school plans versus the state’s advisory map.

“It will be a challenge in red counties where students are also coming back in person,” DeWine said. “We, as communities, must work together to slow spread so that kids can stay in school.”

Here is a comparison between school districts' plans for #BackToSchool vs. our advisory map. It will be a challenge in red counties where students are also coming back in person. We, as communities, must work together to slow spread so that kids can stay in school. pic.twitter.com/BtShcQIBbi
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) August 13, 2020

As the majority of school districts in Ohio are going back to school with in-person classes, DeWine and health department officials remind students, staff, and members of the community to “take care to back up, mask up, and wash up.”

For more information on steps you can take to prevent the spread of COVID-19, visit the Ohio Department of Health’s website.