Ohio Department of Health Director Bruce Vanderhoff warned that COVID-19 remains a threat and urged Ohioans not to get complacent as the disease continues to cause hospitalizations and deaths across the state.
According to Buckeye State health officials, case levels have declined from the peak of the pandemic, though an average of 35 Ohioans still die of COVID-19 each week.
As of Wednesday, 958 Ohioans have died of COVID-19 this year. In addition, 6,266 Ohioans have been hospitalized in 2024.
“COVID-19 has not gone away, and it remains a very real threat,” Vanderhoff said in a release. “The virus continues to evolve and can cause severe illness or death, particularly among those who are unvaccinated. As a state, we need to take caution to not let our guard down.”