COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Gov. Mike DeWine says Ohio hospitalizations for COVID-19 have hit a pandemic record high.
The governor says the vast majority of the ill are unvaccinated and he urged people to consider vaccinations as the best protection against the coronavirus.
DeWine made the announcement as he mobilized an additional 1,250 members of the Ohio National Guard into hospitals.
That brings the number of Guard members helping Ohio hospitals deal with a surge in COVID-19 cases to 2,400. State data shows 5,356 people hospitalized with the coronavirus.
The Ohio Hospital Association is asking all Ohio schools to consider mandatory mask wearing as cases continue to spike.
“Today we have more Ohioans with Covid in hospitals” … than any other time during this pandemic, says @MikeDeWine
— Mariel Carbone (@MarielCarbone) December 29, 2021
We’re hearing the same message we continue to hear: this is being driven by unvaccinated people @WCPO
In the Tri-State, cases have jumped above 16% for positivity rates among those who tested for COVID-19.
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Governor @MikeDeWine will hold a press conference at 1pm with the National Guard regarding hospital staffing.
— Mariel Carbone (@MarielCarbone) December 29, 2021
According to the Ohio Hospital Association, 5,356 people are hospitalized with COVID right now statewide. Of those, 1,228 are in the ICU. @WCPO