COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Health confirmed 15,989 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, shattering the previous day’s record by more than 3,000 cases.
The timing comes as Ohioans have overwhelmed testing sites, making it challenging for those who are infected or seeking a test before the holidays to obtain one.
The state reported 345 new COVID-19 hospitalizations on Thursday.
Northeast Ohio continues to lead the state in COVID-19 cases, and several northeast Ohio counties are reporting the highest caseloads in the entire United States. According to a New York Times database, Cuyahoga County has the second-highest per capita COVID-19 caseload in the U.S. The Times’ data also indicates that Lake County is No. 8 nationally.
Ohio Department of Health data indicates there have been 14,905 cases recorded in Cuyahoga County in the last week — more than three times more than Franklin County which has a larger population. Cuyahoga County had 170 new COVID-19 hospitalizations in the last week, according to state data.
With cases increasing, vaccinations are on the rise, for both boosters and new vaccinations. The state reported Thursday 10,153 Ohioans started their vaccination process. The state noted on Thursday that 44,553 additional Ohioans got a booster shot. Nearly 54% of Ohioans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and 21% are boosted, the state says.
