Cuyahoga Could Be Ohio's 1st Level 4 COVID-19 Threat County

CLEVELAND — Cuyahoga County could become Ohio's first Level 4 COVID-19 threat county, the Ohio Department of Health announced.

"In addition to exceeding the CDC’s threshold for high incidence, the county has a sustained increase in new cases, outpatient visits and hospital admissions," Gov. Mike DeWine said Thursday.

Currently, Cuyahoga County meets all the necessary requirements to be classified as "purple." However, DeWine and health officials said a county must see sustained COVID-19 surges for two weeks for a county to have its threat classification upgraded.

If it hits Level 4, Cuyahoga will be classified as a "purple" county, meaning there is "severe exposure and spread" of COVID-19 locally. No Ohio county has ever been classified as purple.

"Local health department officials report that much of the spread in the community is generating from family get togethers. Hospitals also are starting to be impacted," DeWine said.

Ohio's COVID-19 metrics have been surging over the past two weeks. The Buckeye State broke its own record for new COVID-19 cases confirmed in a single day on Thursday (2,425 new cases).

Currently, 38 counties in Ohio are now classified as "red." This is the most "red" counties in Ohio since the beginning of the pandemic. One of Lorain's neighboring counties, Cuyahoga, is also on the watch list (meaning it could become the first Ohio county to be classified as "purple").

DeWine said nearly 75 percent of Ohioans are now living in "red" counties.