COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Coronavirus cases dipped slightly while hospitalizations continue to rise, according to daily figures released Monday by the Ohio Department of Health.
With nineteen counties currently considered red under the state coding system, an order requiring masks in “a lot more counties” could come this week, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine said over the weekend. Red indicates “very high exposure and spread” of the coronavirus.
The Health Department reported 1,236 probable and confirmed cases of COVID-19 Monday, down slightly from 1,110 a day earlier and substantially down from Friday’s record of 1,679.
State data also shows 743 people admitted to hospitals with the coronavirus last week, the second-highest figure since 853 hospitalizations the week of April 15. Cases have been surging in July.
Ohio reported 15 new deaths on Monday, bringing the total number of confirmed and probable coronavirus deaths to 3,189. More than 76,000 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 have been reported during the pandemic.