CLEVELAND — With Thanksgiving just around the corner, COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to drop for most parts of Northeast Ohio.
In the latest community level update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all but two Northeast Ohio counties find themselves at either the "low" or "medium" category.
To meet the "high" or "orange" threshold, counties must either see at least 20 new COVID hospitalizations per 100,000 residents in a given week or a combination of both 200 new cases and 10 new hospitalizations per capita. Health experts recommend residents in those counties wear face masks while in indoor public spaces, regardless of vaccination status.
The CDC's data shows that Mahoning and Trumbull counties are still "orange" after rising there two weeks ago. While the case rate for both counties increased slightly from last week, the hospitalization rate has improved.
- Mahoning: 139.93 cases per 100K, 20.9 new hospitalizations
- Trumbull: 149.51 cases per 100K, 20.9 new hospitalizations
Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Erie, Geauga, Huron, Lake, Medina, Portage, and Summit counties are in the "medium" category, while all other counties in Northeast Ohio are at the low "green" level.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine did not enact any new mask or health mandates all the previous times counties went "orange" in the spring and summer (partly due to a controversial new law limiting his pandemic powers), and is unlikely to do so this time. However, private businesses and establishments across the state are still largely free to enact their own policies, and experts do say those in "yellow" zones may want to think about masking if either they or someone they regularly interact with is immunocompromised.
The state of Ohio reported more than 10,000 new coronavirus cases in the last week, but decreased by just under 700 as compared to the week before.
Related Stories: