COLUMBUS, Ohio — With COVID-19 cases continuing to climb in Ohio, the state's health leaders held a briefing on Friday with the latest information.
Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff was joined for the 2 p.m. news conference by the state's "hospital zone leads" for a look at COVID-19 hospitalizations. The three hospital zone leads are:
- Richard P. Lofgren, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer, UC Health
- Andrew Thomas, MD, Chief Clinical Officer, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
- Robert Wyllie, MD, Chief Medical Operations Officer, Cleveland Clinic
You can stream the briefing at WKYC.com, the WKYC app, and YouTube.
On Thursday, the state of Ohio reported 5,395 new daily cases of COVID-19, the most since January of this year.
In a briefing earlier this month, Vanderhoff highlighted how Ohio is experiencing an increase in hospitalizations, ICU admissions and ventilator use.
“While we have substantial hospital and ventilator capacity remaining here in Ohio, we nevertheless have heightened concern as reports emerge from other states that hospitals there are beginning to turn away elective procedures and face real pressure on their physical resources," Dr. Vanderhoff said. "We don’t want to see our hospitals here in Ohio facing such a scenario and continue to remind Ohioans that the best way to protect yourself from serious illness with COVID-19 is choosing to receive a vaccine.”
More Coverage:
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- 'We may be approaching a perilous situation': Ohio reports summer surge of RSV, respiratory illnesses in children amid increasing COVID case rates
- Ohio Department of Health: Immunocompromised people can receive 3rd COVID-19 vaccine shot
- ‘Troubling increase in COVID cases’: Ohio health officials continue to urge vaccinations as new infections spike
