CLEVELAND, Ohio - Eleven Ohio counties are now under red alert in the state’s coronavirus advisory system, with Cuyahoga County remaining one step below at orange for the seventh straight week, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Thursday.
“We’re seeing more red counties this week. That’s not good,” DeWine said.
There were nine red counties last week and five two weeks ago, the lowest number since the state’s COVID-19 alert system began in early July.
Clermont, Hamilton, Muskingum and Richland were moved to red this week, while Delaware and Stark counties were moved from red to orange. Continuing red were Ashland, Butler, Mercer, Montgomery, Pike, Putnam and Scioto counties.
The reasons vary for the increased concerns in some parts of the state, DeWine said.
For example, in Muskingum County, officials reported 42 cases linked to an outbreak that “spanned the Eagles and Moose lodges, the VFW and the American Legion," DeWine said. In Butler County, DeWine said, "Residents continue to have large gatherings, which is causing a lot of this problem. No mask wearing, no social distancing is what our local officials tell us in Butler County.” And in Richland County, large family events have become a concern, DeWine said.
Red is considered a Level 3 public emergency because of “very high exposure and spread.” Purple is the highest level, a step above red. No county yet has been placed on Level 4 purple alert, though DeWine said Richland County is on the “watch list" for potentially moving that way.
In the Greater Cleveland area, Cuyahoga is joined in orange by Lake, Lorain, Portage and Summit counties. Geauga and Medina counties are at the lowest alert level of yellow.
Cuyahoga County’s report card
Cuyahoga County on July 2 started out on red and stayed there until dropping to Level 2 orange on Aug. 20.
Case numbers have improved dramatically for Cuyahoga County, but not enough to drop to Level 1 yellow in combination with other factors.
Cuyahoga County's coronavirus report card from the state on Thursday, Oct. 1.Ohio Department of Health
This week, Cuyahoga County was flagged for three areas of concern - the number of new cases over the last two weeks, the share of cases outside of congregate living facilities such as nursing homes, and for an increase in outpatient visits to doctors and health facilities.
Cuyahoga’s 50.28 cases per 100,000 people over the last two weeks is just above the threshold of alert of 50 cases per 100,000. Cuyahoga has dropped from 139.4 cases per 100,000 in the July 30. Fifty-six of Ohio’s 88 counties this week are above the threshold of 50.
Cuyahoga is one of 83 counties out of 88 flagged for the share of cases being what the state considers to be high outside of congregate living facilities.
For new outpatient visits, there was an increase in Cuyahoga County late last week, before leveling off, the state reported.
Statewide, in addition to the 11 red counties, 51 are orange and 26 yellow. A week ago, there were nine red, 47 orange and 32 yellow.
How the alert system works
Each county is graded on seven criteria. Meeting none or one of the criteria places a county on Level 1 yellow; two or three on Level 2 orange; four or five on Level 3 red; and six or seven on Level 4 purple.
* 1. New cases - Alert triggered when there are 50 new cases per cases 100,000 residents over the last two weeks.
* 2. Increase in new cases - Alert triggered by an increase in cases for five straight days at any point over the last three weeks. This is based on the date of onset of symptoms, not when the cases are reported.
* 3. Non-congregate living cases - Alert triggered when at least 50% of the new cases in one of the last three weeks have occurred in outside congregate living spaces such as nursing homes and prisons.
* 4. Emergency rooms - Alert triggered when there is an increase in visits for COVID-like symptoms or a diagnosis for five straight days at any point in the last three weeks.
* 5. Doctor visits - Alert triggered when there is an increase in out-patient visits resulting in confirmed cases or suspected diagnosis for COVID-19 for five straight days at any point in the last three weeks.
* 6. Hospitalizations - Alert triggered when there is an increase in new COVID-19 patients for five straight days at any point over the last three weeks. This is based on the county or residence, not the location of the hospital.
* 7. Intensive Care Unit occupancy - Alert triggered when ICU occupancy in a region exceeds 80% of total ICU beds and at least 20% of the beds are being used for coronavirus patients for at least three days in the last week.
This shows the areas of coronavirus concern for which each of Ohio's 88 counties have been flagged.Ohio Department of Health
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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The Link LonkOctober 02, 2020 at 02:51AM
https://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/2020/10/ohio-counties-now-in-red-coronavirus-alert.html
11 Ohio counties now in red coronavirus alert; Cuyahoga again orange - cleveland.com
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