Ohio COVID-19 Cases Top 5,000, Breaking Single-Day Summer Record

COLUMBUS, OH — Ohio again broke its own summer-record for most new COVID-19 cases confirmed in a single day on Thursday.

Over the past 24 hours, 5,395 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed among Ohioans, the state health department announced. That's approximately 800 more cases than Wednesday, and well-above the state's rolling average of 2,902 new cases per day.

The surge in new cases is being driven by the delta variant of COVID-19, according to Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, director of the Ohio Department of Health, and Gov. Mike DeWine. Both have urged Ohioans to wear masks in public and get vaccinated, particularly as school resumes across the Buckeye State.

“Delta isn’t just a danger to adults. While children are less likely than adults to get severely ill from COVID-19, they are not invincible and most certainly can, and do, become ill. And, indeed, our children’s hospitals continue to see tragic cases of previously healthy children struck down by this virus and now requiring intensive medical care," Vanderhoff said.

Cases of both COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are rising statewide, Vanderhoff revealed this week. As more children are hospitalized, many hospitals in Ohio are battling staffing shortages.

"Last year, we had better staffing levels and everyone was wearing a mask," said Dr. Patty Manning-Courtney, from Cincinnati Children's Hospital. "We are charged with caring for the sickest children in Ohio. We can usually do that without any help. We are now asking for your help. That help comes in the form of getting vaccinated, wearing masks indoors, and maintaining physical distance."

Here are Thursday's other COVID-19 numbers:

• New cases: 5,395
• New hospitalizations: 182
• New intensive care admissions: 15

Ohio's mortality data is no longer updated daily, but approximately twice per week instead, the Ohio Department of Health said.