Worst COVID-19 Spread In Ohio: Cuyahoga County Ranks 4th

CLEVELAND — Cuyahoga County has the fourth highest rate of COVID-19 spread among Ohio's 88 counties, the state health department announced Thursday.

Between March 31 and April 14, there were 3,469 new COVID-19 cases confirmed in Cuyahoga County. That's 280.9 cases per 100,000 residents. Only Lucas (341.1), Hancock (304.8) and Summit (300.9) counties had a higher per capita COVID-19 spread rate.

COVID-19 is spreading rapidly again in the Buckeye State and Northern Ohio has seen the biggest surge in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, Gov. Mike DeWine said Thursday. The B.1.1.7 UK strain of COVID-19 is likely behind the spike, he added.

The statewide COVID-19 case rate was once tumbling on a weekly basis, and was approaching DeWine's goal of 50 cases per 100,000 residents. That trend has reversed and, as of Thursday, Ohio's COVID-19 case rate was 200 per 100,000 residents.

"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," DeWine added.