Trending
The rate of new COVID-19 cases continued to fall in area counties, reflecting an overall decrease for Ohio.
After having the third-highest rate of new cases per 100,000 people in the state from Sept. 15-28, Noble County dropped to 52nd out of Ohio's 88 counties from Sept. 22 to Oct. 5, according to statistics released this week by the state Department of Health.
In the earlier period, the county of 14,424 residents recorded 54 new cases or a rate of 374.4 per 100,000. But in the last two weeks, just 22 new cases were reported, dropping the rate to 152.5 per 100,000.
Athens County, population 65,327, also slid much lower in the case rate rankings, going from ninth (193 new cases, 295.4 per 100,000) to 51st (100 new cases, 153.1).
The local county with the highest rate the last two weeks was Monroe with 168.4 per 100,000, based on 23 new cases among its 13,654 people. That ranked 37th in Ohio. In the previous span, Monroe County had 29 new cases and a rate of 212.4 per 100,000, which was 35th.
Washington County reported 84 new cases over the last two weeks, the first time since May 26 to June 8 the county of 59,911 people had less than 100 new cases in a two-week span. Its rate was 140.2 per 100,000, 65th in the state. In the previous period, Washington County had 117 new cases for a rate of 195.3 per 100,000 that ranked 49th.
Morgan County, population 14,508, had the lowest local rate (124.1 per 100,000, 76th in the state) and overall number of cases, with 18. For the prior span, Morgan had 28 new cases and its rate of 193 per 100,000 was 53rd.
The statewide average of new cases dropped to 155.4 from 194.7 per 100,000. Guernsey County had the highest rate in the state at 344.7. In the previous period, it was second with a higher rate of 411.6.
Athens and Monroe County were classified as "low" on the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID Community Levels scale. Those metrics are released each Thursday based on the number of new cases per 100,000 people and hospitalization statistics for the previous seven days.
When counties' levels are low, the CDC recommends residents keep up with vaccinations and boosters and get tested if they develop COVID symptoms.
Last week, Athens was classified as "medium," in which the CDC advises people at greater risk of severe illness to consult their health care provider about whether to take precautions like wearing a mask in indoor, public places. Monroe County was low.
Washington, Morgan and Noble counties were medium this week. That's the same as last week for Washington and Noble, although Morgan had been classified as low.