Worst COVID-19 Spread: Lorain County Still In Ohio's Top 20

AVON, OH — Lorain County still has one of the 20 worst COVID-19 case rates in Ohio, the state health department announced.

Of Ohio's 88 counties, Lorain County has the 16th worst COVID-19 case rate. Between April 6 and April 19, there were 684 confirmed COVID-19 cases among Lorain County residents. That's a case rate of 220.8 per 100,000 residents.

The worst COVID-19 case rate in Ohio is Lucas County, home to Toledo and border to Michigan. Lucas had 1,532 cases confirmed between April 6 and April 19, a case rate of 357.7 cases per 100,000 residents.

"The virus is now in more contagious forms that put younger people at much greater risk, including the risk of ending up in the hospital," said Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, chief medical officer for the Ohio Department of Health.

Vanderhoff urged Ohioans to get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible, noting it's the only protection against COVID-19 and its variants.

As of Wednesday, approximately 38 percent of Ohioans have received at least the first part of a COVID-19 vaccine. More than 27 percent of Ohioans have completed the COVID-19 vaccination process.