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Ohio is on pace through the first half of November to see a small decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases for the entire month as compared to October.
But after 15 days, November is averaging enough daily COVID-19 cases for it to have the sixth-highest amount for a month since the start of the pandemic.
Ohio had 63,088 reported COVID-19 cases through the first half of the month. At that rate of nearly 4,206 per day, the state will end November with 126,176 cases.
That would be about 5,000 fewer reported cases than the 131,355 cases reported in Ohio in October.
October had the fifth-most reported cases for a month since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
Already, the 63,088 cases reported in the first 15 days of November is more than the 56,965 cases reported for May (29,622), June (9,390) and July (17,953) combined.
The delta variant, primarily among the unvaccinated, caused a large increase in COVID-19 cases in the state, and the nation, starting in late July, said Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, Ohio Department of Health director.
In August, 91,623 cases were reported with 193,072 in September. The number in September is the fourth most for a month in Ohio.
The most was 279,317 last December, followed by 205,366 last November and 195,412 in January.
The state had 1,608,415 total COVID-19 cases reported with 1,501,911 presumed recovered and 25,643 deaths during the pandemic as of Monday, according to the ODH.
VAX-2-SCHOOL
Sunday at 11:59 p.m. is the first registration deadline for the Vax-2-School scholarship program.
The state is trying to encourage younger people to get vaccinated because fewer of them get the shots than the general population.
As of Monday, 102,930 entries were received, according to the ODH.
Ohioans can register as soon as the first dose of the vaccine is administered. To register, go to ohiovax2school.com or call 833-427-5634.
The program will award $2 million in scholarships to those between the age of 5 and 25, including 150 $10,000 scholarships and five $100,000 scholarships.
Two drawings will be held for the $10,000 prizes -- 75 in each drawing -- next Monday and Nov. 29.
If a person registers by Nov. 28, he or she is eligible for the second drawing.
Also, the state will award the $100,000 scholarships daily Nov. 29 to Dec. 3.
While Nov. 28 is the deadline to be eligible for the five $100,000 scholarships, a person can apply by Dec. 1 to be eligible for the last two drawings.
The money comes from unused federal COVID-19 funds.