Clinton County recorded 100 new cases of COVID-19 in a 16-day period from Sept. 30 to Oct. 16.
County Health Commissioner Pamela Walker-Bauer reports that the county had reached its first 100 cases on July 17; 200 on Aug. 21; 300 on Sept. 25; and 400 last Friday, Oct. 16. Local deaths reported due to COVID-19 remains at 13.
The number of people hospitalized in the state because of the coronavirus hit a new high Monday, the Ohio Department of Health reported.
The agency said Monday that 1,154 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 related symptoms, with 158 on ventilators. That’s the highest hospitalization figure since July.
However, Tuesday’s numbers then showed another 216 hospitalizations.
Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said he was caught off-guard by the recent spike in cases and pleaded again for Ohioans to wear masks and keep themselves socially distanced.
“It’s the same thing I’m hearing when I speak with county health commissioners,” DeWine said Tuesday. “It’s not big formal events or workplaces where they are seeing the most spread – it’s informal gatherings.”
He also warned Ohioans that in-person learning in schools may one day be in jeopardy with these trends.
“It should concern all Ohioans that so many of our kids are going to school remotely,” he said. “While many kids can do well under these circumstances, many cannot. Some of our poorest children who thrive in an in-person learning environment do not do nearly as well online.
“We owe it to these kids to fight back against this virus and reduce community spread. We owe it to their future. We owe it to the state’s future. We can control this through what we do every single day.”
The Ohio Health Department reported 1,837 confirmed and probable cases on Monday — well-above the 21-day case average of 1,515 — and then 2,015 on Tuesday.
The numbers reflect a recent and continuing spike in cases, including a record high 2,178 cases reported on Oct. 15. Ohio on Tuesday afternoon reported 185,639 confirmed and probable coronavirus cases including 5,083 deaths.
Financial help
DeWine announced Tuesday that a second dividend for public and private employers in the form of checks totaling around $1.3 billion will be mailed to employers beginning this week.
He also said, “Look for more news soon on programs that will use CARES Act funding to create a wide-ranging program to address the needs of struggling Ohioans, including funding for rent, mortgages, and water and sewer utility bills, as well as funding for small businesses and nonprofits.”
