COVID-19 Hospitalizations Continue To Climb In Ohio

COLUMBUS, OH — COVID-19 hospitalizations continued to spike in Ohio on Friday.

In the past 24 hours, 151 people were hospitalized due to COVID-19. In the past three weeks, Ohio has averaged 102 COVID-19 hospitalizations per day.

"Looking at our hospitalization numbers, you can see that we have more than 1,300 COVID-positive patients in Ohio's hospitals — a level we haven't seen in more than a month," Gov. Mike DeWine said Thursday.

DeWine and health officials blamed the B.1.1.7 UK strain of COVID-19 for Ohio's rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. However, DeWine said he would not consider new restrictions to curb the spread of the virus variant.

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Here are all of Friday's COVID-19 numbers:

• New cases: 2,003.
• New hospitalizations: 151.
• New ICU admissions: 15.
• Total deaths: 18,991.

At least 991,725 Ohioans have contracted COVID-19 and recovered, the Ohio Department of Health said.

Nearly 37 percent of Ohioans have received at least the first part of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the state health department. More than 25 percent of Ohioans have received both COVID-19 vaccine shots.

As of Friday afternoon, 4.3 million Ohioans had received at least the first shot of the two-part COVID-19 vaccine; and 2.93 million Ohioans have completed the vaccination process.