More than 3,200 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in Ohio

More than 3,200 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized in Ohio on Thanksgiving, with 909 in the state’s ICUs, according to the Ohio Hospital Association.

One in six hospital patients and one in four ICU patients in the state have coronavirus.

Hospitalizations and cases have been climbing in Ohio in recent weeks after the state saw a decrease in COVID following the delta surge.

COVID inpatients have increased 7% in the past week and increased 46% in the last three weeks, according to OHA. The state’s ICUs have seen a 12% in coronavirus patients in the last week and 39% increase in the past three weeks. However, when compared to 60 days ago, COVID patients have decreased 13% overall in Ohio hospitals and decreased 9% in ICUs.

Of those hospitalized on Thanksgiving, 248 are in Zone 3, which includes Darke, Shelby, Miami, Champaign, Clark, Preble, Montgomery and Greene counties. About one in eight hospital inpatients have the virus. Fifty-five COVID patients are in the region’s ICUs, accounting for one in seven patients, according OHA.

Following statewide trends, it’s 10% increase in hospitalized patients in the last week and 41% increase in the last three weeks. Zone 3 has seen a 31% increase in COVID ICU patients in the past week and a 20% increase in the last three weeks. In the last 60 days, hospitalized COVID patients have decreased 37% and coronavirus ICU patients have decreased 21%.

There are 393 COVID-19 hospitalized in Zone 6, which includes Butler, Warren, Clinton, Hamilton, Clermont, Highland, Brown and Adams counties. One in seven hospital patients in the region has tested positive for COVID. It’s a 1% increase in the past week and 26% increase in the last three weeks, according to OHA.

The region has 133 COVID patients in its ICUs on Thanksgiving, or about one in four patients. Zone 6 has had a 17% increase in COVID-19 ICU patients in the past week and a 40% increase in the last three weeks.

Compared to 60 days ago, the region has seen a 27% decrease in hospitalized COVID patients and a 19% decrease in coronavirus patients in ICUs.

The delta variant remains the predominant strain of coronavirus in Ohio. From Nov. 7-20, 100% of the PCR tests the state sequenced were attributed to the delta variant, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

ODH uses genomic sequencing on PCR tests to determine which variants are present in Ohio. The state can only do genomic sequencing on PCR tests which enough of a remaining sample and the sample must have a high enough viral load. Results can lag about three or four weeks from when the sample was collected, according to ODH.

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, ODH did not update its COVID-19 dashboards. The data will be updated Friday and include numbers from Thanksgiving.

About the Author