Coronavirus in Ohio: 7,526 New Positive Cases, 151 Deaths Tuesday

COLUMBUS, OH — Just a day after both new confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths related to the virus dipped a bit across Ohio, state officials reported a surge of more than 7,500 cases and 151 new deaths on Tuesday.

At a time when all of Ohio’s counties are exceeding what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider high instances, meaning that there have been at least 100 cases per 100,000 residents over the previous two weeks, health officials that 7,526 new cases had been diagnosed over the past 24 hours.

The new cases takes the statewide total to 682,570 since the pandemic began in March while 8,722 people across the state have died from the coronavirus or from complications of the virus. The new numbers also came on a day when Gov. Mike DeWine signed Ohio's budget that includes the distribution of $350 million in federal cares act for local governments to use for pandemic-related issues.

Tuesday’s total number of positive cases remain below Ohio’s 21-day rolling average of 8,217, but the 151 new deaths are more than double that the rolling average of 77. State health officials also announced that as of Tuesday, 71 percent of Ohio’s hospital bed remain occupied with COVID-19 patients.

Two weeks after the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine arrived at the state’s hospitals, Ohio health officials announced that 71,625 people have been vaccinated. That represents less than 1 percent of the state’s population as vaccinations are being limited to frontline workers, healthcare professionals and others who fall under those meeting the requirements for the initial phase of the vaccine distribution.