TOLEDO, Ohio — EDITOR'S NOTE: The attached video originally aired on August 16, 2021.
As the highly transmittable Delta variant of COVID-19 continues to surge, nearly all of Ohio’s counties, including all in northwest Ohio, are now experiencing "high" levels of community transmission according to the CDC.
Only 2 of the 88 counties in the state remain at the "substantial" level.
Hancock County was elevated to the high designation on Tuesday.
Lucas County moved from substantial to high over the weekend, as did Putnam, Wood, Seneca and Wyandot counties.
Monroe and Lenawee counties in Michigan are also experiencing high transmission rates.
The CDC defines high transmission as more than 100 total new cases per 100,000 people in the past seven days or over 10% of tests (NAATs) showing positive results during the past 7 days.
The CDC recommends the wearing of masks indoors, for areas with substantial or high transmission rates.
Here is where counties in our area stand as of August 17, 2021:
HIGH
- Lucas
- Wood
- Henry
- Hancock
- Huron
- Lenawee
- Monroe
- Ottawa
- Sandusky
- Wyandot
- Defiance
- Erie
- Fulton
- Paulding
- Williams
Source: CDC COVID Data Tracker.
Across the United States, over 91.23% of counties are at a high level; a change of 12.28% over the past 7 days.