CLEVELAND, Ohio - The rolling seven-day averages for new coronavirus cases being reported in Ohio are at their lowest levels in more than a month, and hospitalization counts continue to decline as well.
These are two clues that the spread of COVID-19 may be leveling off or on the decline in the state, though it’s too soon to know what if any impact the gradual reopening of businesses and activities so far has had on infections.
State health officials say it is often days, if not more than a week in some cases, from someone being infected until they end up in a hospital or are even tested. Some milder cases may never be known to health officials.
Yet the data being released by the state offers some encouraging signs.
The rolling seven-day average for newly reported cases daily has ranged from 478 to 481 the last three days through Thursday, continuing a general trend downward since it was had 623 on May 9.
This week marked the first time since April 30 that a seven-day average has been below 500 a day.
Another key indicator is current hospitalizations, including the number of patients in intensive care units.
These two numbers also have been trending down.
There were fewer than 300 COVID-19 patients reported in ICUs across the state each of the last two days, marking the first time since April 3 that the count has been this low. The total was as high at 535 in mid-April, and didn’t dip below 400 until May 8.
This is based on a daily survey of hospitals by the Ohio Hospital Association. Often times, the most recent day’s information is revised up when more information becomes available by the next day. But generally earlier numbers change little, if any. The number of ICU patients was 287 on Wednesday and reported at 267 on Thursday.
COVID-19 hospital stays have been trending down in Ohio. This chart shows the number of patients on a given day, as reported by hospitals to the Ohio Hospital Association. Out-of-state patients are included. Totals for the most recent day or two may be revised later.Rich Exner, cleveland.com
Overall hospitalization totals, including those in ICU and other beds, was reported at 723, 710 and 693 the last three days.
On April 26, there were 1,110 such patients, before beginning a trend down, dipping below 1,000 for the first time on May 14.
Rich Exner, data analysis editor for cleveland.com, writes about numbers on a variety of topics. Follow on Twitter @RichExner. See other data-related stories at cleveland.com/datacentral.
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