Virus rates jump nearly tenfold in a month

Trumbull, Mahoning counties rank in bottom half of state

The number of COVID-19 cases in Ohio has increased by nearly 10 times the amount from about a month ago with no signs of letting up.

The state was at 259.2 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents for the period between Aug. 5 and Wednesday, according to statistics provided Thursday by the Ohio Department of Health.

That didn't include the 3,446 new COVID-19 cases reported Thursday, which was the most for a single day since 3,549 were reported Feb. 6.

The ODH reported the state was at 27 cases per 100,000 people on July 15.

This week's number shows the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases in Ohio.

It was at 194.2 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents last week. Two weeks ago, it was 125.1 cases per 100,000. Ohio was at 77.4 cases three weeks ago and at 45.8 cases four weeks ago.

The delta variant among the unvaccinated, which spreads quickly, is almost entirely to blame for the increase, said Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, ODH's director.

All of the state's 88 counties are higher than 100 cases per 100,000 residents. Only one county was above 100 cases per 100,000 on July 15.

The latest ODH ranking by county has Mahoning and Trumbull remaining among those with the fewest cases per 100,000 compared to the rest of the state, but Columbiana jumped to 25th this week.

All three counties, like the rest of the state, saw significant increases in the number of cases over the past few weeks.

Mahoning is 62nd in the state with 220.4 COVID-19 cases per 100,000. It was 66th last week with 158.3 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents. It was 52nd two weeks ago with 110.6 cases, 56th three weeks ago with 59.9 cases and 54th four weeks ago with 33.7 cases.

Trumbull is 75th this week with 198 cases per 100,000 residents. It was 64th last week with 162.1 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents. It was at 55th two weeks ago with 105.1 cases per 100,000. It was 46th three weeks ago with 67.7 cases and 58th four weeks ago with 31.3 cases.

Columbiana moved up considerably among counties this week. It was 25th with 333.7 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents.

Last week it was 52nd in the state with 172.7 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents. It was 46th two weeks ago with 116.3 cases. It was 42nd three weeks ago with 67.7 cases and 39th four weeks ago with 31.3 cases.

Columbiana greatly lags behind the state percentage of residents who've received the COVID-19 vaccine.

The ODH measures cases per 100,000 residents among counties to get a fair comparison because total cases would result in more-populous counties ranking higher.

COVID-19 DATA

Thursday was the 17th consecutive day in which Ohio exceeded 1,000 daily COVID-19 cases. That includes 10 that had more than 2,000 cases with five of them exceeding 3,000 reported cases. Among those five are the past three days.

The 3,446 new COVID-19 cases reported Thursday is up from the daily average of 2,140 for the past 21 days, according to the ODH.

Of those new cases Thursday, 153 were in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties combined.

The entire state was averaging about 260 cases per day fewer than six weeks ago.

The state had a total of 1,171,557 COVID-19 cases as of Thursday with 1,106,022 presumed recovered.

The ODH usually provides death information on Tuesdays and Fridays. There were 20,648 total COVID-19 deaths as of Tuesday.

Mahoning County had 23,501 total COVID-19 cases as of Thursday with 22,140 presumed recovered and 616 deaths.

Trumbull County had 17,472 total COVID-19 cases as of Thursday with 16,345 presumed recovered and 493 deaths.

Columbiana County had 9,677 total COVID-19 cases as of Thursday with 9,018 presumed recovered and 236 deaths.

VACCINATIONS

There were 5,958,494 people, 50.97 percent of the state's population, who at least had started getting inoculated as of 6 a.m. Thursday, including 11,330 in the previous 24 hours, according to the ODH.

In Mahoning County, 49.36 percent of the population (112,874 people) had received at least one dose, while 47.19 percent of the population in Trumbull County (93,425 people) and 39.84 percent in Columbiana County (40,595 people) had as of 6 a.m. Thursday, according to the ODH.

There were 5,507,869 people, 47.12 percent of the state's population, who finished the vaccinations as of 6 a.m. Thursday, including 8,655 in the prior 24 hours.

In Mahoning County, 45.56 percent of the population (104,179 people) had completed the process, while 43.22 percent of the population in Trumbull (85,568 people) and 36.91 percent of the population in Columbiana (37,605 people) had as of 6 a.m. Thursday.

The Trumbull County Combined Health District has vaccination clinics at the Eastwood Mall in Niles 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.

There will also be a clinic at the Trumbull Community Action Program office, 1230 Palmyra Road SW in Warren, 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday.