In the last three weeks the state now is averaging 6,037 cases a day. In the last week Ohio has reported 50,424 cases for an average of 7,203 cases a day.
Coronavirus cases in Ohio and across the U.S. have surged this summer as the Delta variant spread rapidly.
The increase in cases, and particularly a spike in cases among younger patients, prompted calls Tuesday from Gov. Mike DeWine and the state’s children’s hospitals for anyone eligible to get vaccinated and for mask wearing in all Ohio schools to help protect children and keep them in face-to-face learning.
Dayton Children’s Hospital CEO Deborah Feldman said about 25% of COVID cases in Ohio are children now.
“For a long time this was really perceived as a disease that did not impact our kids in a significant way. That belief has really been shattered over the last couple months,” Feldman said.
The summer surge also has led to more hospitalizations overall.
Daily hospitalizations dropped just under 300 Wednesday with 292 hospitalizations and 18 ICU admissions reported in the last day. On Tuesday, ODH reported 344 new hospitalizations.
Ohio is averaging 201 hospitalizations a day and 19 ICU admissions a day throughout the last three weeks.
According to ODH, the state had 3,549 COVID-19 patients hospitalized and 947 in the ICU as of Wednesday.
Coronavirus patients account for 13.2% of Ohio’s hospital beds and 19.85% of its ICU beds. The state has 5,656 (21%) hospital beds and 971 (20.33%) ICU beds available.
More than 6.2 million Ohioans, or 53.05%, have started the coronavirus vaccine, including 64.14% of adults and 62% of people 12 and older.
Just over 49% of residents, including 59.58% of adults and 57.34% of residents 12 and older, have finished the vaccine, according to ODH.
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