COLUMBUS — Ohio recorded its sixth highest number of COVID-19 deaths in October, and the state expects the total to increase as death data is processed.
Ohio reported 1,264 deaths in October, for an average of about 41 deaths a day, Gov. Mike DeWine said during a press conference on Thursday.
Four of the five highest months for coronavirus deaths were during the state’s winter surge. December 2020 was the state’s deadliest month for coronavirus, with 5,537 deaths recorded. January 2021, November 2020, September 2021 and February 2021 followed, rounding out the top five.
As of Tuesday, Ohio has recorded 24,763 total deaths since the pandemic began, according to the Ohio Department of Health. The state uses death certificate data to confirm COVID-19 deaths. As a result, it can take weeks before a COVID-19 death is added to the state’s dashboard.
While Ohio is continuing to recover from the delta surge, the state is among the top in the country for COVID-19.
“Ohio is one of the later states to experience this delta wave,” DeWine said. “Because delta hit Ohio later than other parts of the country, we are currently one of the highest states of cases, hospitalizations and deaths from COVID.”
Daily cases decreased slightly from Wednesday with 4,487 recorded on Thursday, according to ODH. Wednesday’s COVID case count was 4,503, according to ODH. In the last 21 days, Ohio is averaging 3,580 cases a day. A month ago, on Oct. 4, the state’s 21-day average was 6,179 cases a day.
As of Thursday, Ohio had 2,305 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the state, including 675 in ICUs and 427 on ventilators, according to ODH. Coronavirus patients account for 8.8% of the state’s hospital beds, 14.51% of ICU beds and 8.96% of ventilators.
Over the last 21 days, Ohio averaged 192 hospitalizations a day and 21 ICU admissions a day. On Oct. 4, the state’s 21-day average was 261 hospitalizations a day and 23 ICU admissions a day.
