COLUMBUS, Ohio — In COVID-19 data released from the Ohio Department of Health on Monday, Ohio once again reports more than 7,000 new infections, along with 20 deaths and 213 hospitalizations - all numbers that are up significantly from last Monday’s totals.
As Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine mulls his next step, he will be focused on the big jump in hospitalizations and other numbers, including the positivity rate, which is now 12.2%. These case numbers are simply a small percentage of actual cases in the community.
The state reported 7,268 new infections on Monday, which is below Friday's single-day record of 8,071. Monday's new infections number, however, is above the three-week average of 5,006 cases.
There are now 3,387 COVID patients in Ohio. Monday was also the biggest one-day jump in ICU COVID patients, as the state went from 755 to 850 in ICU. Ventilator patients jumped from 368 to 407 current patients.
The state dashboard shows the presumed recovered tally stands at 205,198.
Lucas County reported 300 new infections and one death on Monday. Sylvania alone has added about 160 cases in the past seven days.
In Wood County, where it was learned earlier on Monday that wastewater monitoring has detected elevated levels of COVID-19, 184 new infections were reported since Friday as well as 12 additional hospitalizations. There have been no new deaths in close to a week in Wood County.
Ohio Department of Health Interim Director Lance Himes signed a revised health order Monday further limiting mass gatherings in the state, which will go into effect Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 12:01 a.m.
“Despite the health order that limited mass gatherings to 10 people that was signed in April remaining in effect, we have seen rampant spread of the virus as a result of banquets, wedding receptions, and social gatherings following funerals,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said. "We have seen great tragedy associated with such events. It’s not the ceremonies causing the problem. It’s the party afterward.”
In an effort to minimize the spread of COVID-19 through airborne particles passing between people in close contact, wedding receptions, funeral repasts, and other events at banquet facilities are subject to the following restrictions:
- No socializing or activities in open congregate areas and no dancing.
- Guests must be seated at all times. Traditional wedding reception events such as first dance, toasts, tossing the bouquet and cutting the cake are permitted.
- If serving food and beverages, guests must be served at their seats. No self-serve buffets and no self-serve bar areas permitted.
- Masks must be worn at all times unless actively consuming food or beverages.
- No more than 10 people should be seated at a table and those individuals must be from the same household.
The revised order does not apply to religious observances; First Amendment-protected speech, including petition or referendum circulators, and any activity by media; and to governmental meetings which include meetings that are required to be open to the public.