CLEVELAND — After two weeks of a relatively steady COVID-19 new case count, health officials declared Ohio had flattened the curve.
So what has happened these past three days as the number of new COVID-19 cases has spiked?
In the first week of April (April 1-7), Oho averaged 369 new cases per day. In the second week of April (April 8-14), cases decreased to 356.8 new cases per day.
Then, as you can see below, our new cases jumped this week: 511 new cases on Wednesday, 623 new cases on Thursday and a record 693 new cases on Friday.
Yet, Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton said Friday, "We have flattened the curve. We are hanging steady."
Dr. Acton points to more testing as part of the reason: "The more testing you do, the more negatives you get."
But also more positives, especially in Ohio counties with prisons where COVID-19 positives are increasing.
Marion County had 110 cases on April 14. In the past three days that number has jumped to 428 cases.
Pickaway County had 97 cases on April 14. In the past three days that number has jumped to 253 cases.
On Friday, Governor Mike DeWine said the state is doing a lot of testing in prisons.
Those numbers alone account for much of the statewide increase.
In Northeast Ohio, the total case totals have remained stable in Summit and Cuyahoga counties.
Cuyahoga County still has the most cases in the State, but Franklin County is closing in fast.
Total deaths increased from 389 to 418.
Because of a lack of tests, Ohio can only test the sickest individuals, the at-risk and workers on the front lines, which means the total number of cases is certainly higher.
The state did not release any data on recoveries.
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