Ohio’s two-week COVID-19 case rate is above 50 for the first time since May

COLUMBUS — The metric Gov. Mike DeWine has used to measure COVID-19 spread in Ohio is on the rise.

The state's two-week average of cases per 100,000 people — which is updated weekly on Thursdays — has surpassed 50 for the first time since May. That was once the target case rate for Ohio's reopening.

It is now 77.4 after the spread of the delta variant has resulted in a spike in cases statewide.

The Ohio Department of Health on Thursday reported 939,072 confirmed cases — 789 more than reported Wednesday.

ODH also reported an increase of 416 probable cases, for a total of 1,205 confirmed and probable cases; that includes 18 new cases in Mahoning County, 17 in Trumbull and 9 in Columbiana.

The state's average coronavirus test positivity rate has more than quadrupled in recent weeks after reaching an all-time low of 1.3 percent in late June.

On Tuesday, the seven-day average positivity rate was 4.6 percent.

This story was originally published July 29, 2021 at 2:50 PM with the headline "Ohio’s two-week COVID-19 case rate is above 50 for the first time since May."