All Ohio Counties Considered 'High Incidence' For Coronavirus

COLUMBUS, OH — While the nation waits anxiously for a resolution to the presidential election, Gov. Mike DeWine is urging Ohioans to turn their attention back to coronavirus.

The virus has hit been spreading through the state at an unprecedented clip in recent weeks. Ohio is breaking nearly all of its COVID-19 records on a weekly basis and setting new bars for most cases confirmed in a day. A new record was set Thursday when health officials confirmed nearly 5,000 new cases among Ohioans.

All of Ohio's 88 counties are now considered "high incidence," according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) standards. That means the virus is spreading rapidly through all of Ohio's counties.

"There have been so many cases in the past two weeks that the risk of catching this virus in every county of this state is very real and very concerning," DeWine said this week. "Again, I ask everyone to recognize their personal responsibility in slowing the spread of this deadly disease. It's up to every citizen in Ohio to choose to slow the spread by wearing masks, distancing, and making overall smart decisions."

According to Ohio's own color-coded risk analysis system, 56 of Ohio's 88 counties are now "red" for COVID-19 spread. That means there's a "very high risk" of contracting the virus in the majority of Ohio's counties.

Based on the state's color-coded system, 86 percent of Ohioans are living in a red county.