COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The Ohio Department of Health on Thursday reported 7,586 new COVID-19 cases, making for the smallest increase thus far in the year.

The state is nowhere near its biggest spike during the past three years. The case rate is in its second week of decline, as the state reported just 8,332 cases. In the week prior, the state was nearing 10,000 weekly COVID-19 infections.

ODH has been reporting COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, deaths and vaccinations weekly instead of daily after new infections slowed to a low level after the omicron wave. Over the past seven days, the state averaged around 1,084 new coronavirus cases per day. The 385 hospitalizations reported by ODH in the past seven days -- about 55 per day -- dropped from the 425 reported last week, and was slightly less than the 395 hospitalizations in the week prior.

While COVID-19 hospitalizations decreased, deaths increased. ODH said 67 people died from the virus, which rose above the 53 deaths the previous week and was slightly more than the 63 reported two weeks before.

The number of Ohioans getting COVID-19 vaccinations decreased over the past week. Compared to 1,685 in the week before, 1,494 started the vaccine process. Another 1,578 finished vaccination by getting their second dose, down from 1,707. Around six in 10 Ohioans are partially or fully vaccinated.