COLUMBUS, Ohio (WJW) – “There’s a red tide flowing all over the state of Ohio.”
Ohio has doubled its coronavirus positivity rate in the last month.
According to the state health department, the average of positive coronavirus tests was 2.7%.
On Thursday, that number was 5.4%, which shows coronavirus isn’t just spreading, it’s doing so quickly.
“What you’re seeing in today’s numbers should get our attention,” Governor Mike DeWine said Thursday.
Yesterday, Ohio set another record high for coronavirus cases.
2178 people tested positive for coronavirus, beating the previous day’s record.
Just under a month ago on September 20, there were 762 cases and the daily average was under 1,000, according to Ohio Department of Health data.
The state is also seeing nearly double the hospitalizations from coronavirus over the same period of time.
“This is the worst situation Ohio has been in,” Gov. DeWine said.
Governor Mike DeWine shared Thursday that 1,042 people currently require hospitalization for coronavirus.
Less than a month ago, that number was around 563.
The State is reporting a total of 29 red counties, 13 of those added in just the last week.
In Northeast Ohio, Cuyahoga, Summit, and Stark counties have been added to the list.
Mahoning, Portage, and Richland remained on the list.
The State designates a red county as an area with high exposure of the virus. That’s determined by seven factors, which includes data on new cases, where the new cases are coming from, and hospitalizations.
Gov. DeWine continued reiterating the same message he has for months. Wear masks, maintain a distance, and wash your hands; three things that should be followed at all times, including with friends and family.
“There is a safe way to do most of the things we as Ohioans want to do,” he said.
However, other than the warning, the governor said there were no plans to implement new closures.
“We have no plans to shut anything down.”
