844 New COVID-19 Cases In Ohio As Surge Continues

COLUMBUS, OH — Ohio's surge of new COVID-19 cases continued Thursday, with 844 new cases confirmed in the past 24 hours.

In early July, Ohio was averaging approximately 200 new COVID-19 cases per day. Since July 19, Ohio has seen a spike in new cases, with the state now averaging nearly 400 cases per day. Hospitalizations related to the virus are also increasing, with 52 people admitted in the past 24 hours for COVID-19 treatment. That's up from a rolling average of 34 COVID-19-related hospitalizations per day.

Unvaccinated Ohioans face the largest risk of contracting the virus and being hospitalized because of it, according to Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, the chief medical officer, for the Ohio Department of Health.

In Ohio, Vanderhoff warned, areas with low-vaccination rates could see "hyperlocal outbreaks."

"Our current vaccines are effective against the delta variant," Vanderhoff said. "The bad news is that if you are partially or not vaccinated you are at a greater risk of hospitalization."

Ohio's metro counties — Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton — all have vaccinations rates over 50 percent, easily the highest in Ohio. Ohio's wealthiest county, suburban Delwaware, leads Ohio with a vaccination rate of 63 percent.

Rural counties, however, tend to have much lower vaccination rates.

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