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Ohio's rate of new COVID-19 cases continued its decline, but not all counties in the area followed suit.
Statewide, there were 361.4 new cases per 100,000 people from Aug. 11-24, according to statistics released this week by the Ohio Department of Health. From Aug. 4-17, the rate was 376.9.
Athens County reported 318 new cases among its 65,327 residents in the most recent two-week period. That's a rate of 486.8 new cases per 100,000 people, the 20th highest among Ohio's 88 counties.
From Aug. 4-17, Athens County had 285 new cases for a rate of 436.3 per 100,000, which ranked 28th.
Washington County, population 59,911, reported 225 new cases for a rate of 375.6 per 100,000, 44th in the state. That's up from 212 in the previous period (353.9 per 100,000, 63rd).
Monroe County reported four more cases in this period than the previous one, with 51. But its rate of 373.5 per 100,000 was 46th in the state, while the county of 13,654 ranked 66th with a rate of 344.2 in the earlier two-week span.
Noble County, population 14,424, dropped from 60 new cases to 49, moving its rate from 416 to 339.7 per 100,000 and its rank from 37th to 61st.
Morgan County showed a slight decrease in new cases, from 40 to 37, among its 14,508 residents. Its rate dipped from 275.7 per 100,00, 82nd, to 255, 84th.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention update their COVID Community Levels, which make recommendations for precautions like masking based on rates of new cases and hospitalizations in the preceding seven days, on Thursday afternoons.
This week, Washington, Athens, Monroe and Morgan were all classified as "high," meaning masks are recommended in indoor public places. Monroe County had been low last week, a designation in which masks are only recommended on public transportation. Athens and Morgan were medium last week, while Washington County was still high.
Noble County, which had been high, moved to medium this week.