Lorain County avoids purple as Ohios coronavirus alert map is unchanged from last week – mostly red – cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Ohios coronavirus alert map is unchanged from last week, despite decreases in the number of new cases and hospitalizations across the state.

Eighty-three counties are on Level 3 red alert over concern of the spread of COVID-19, with Hamilton County (Cincinnati) remaining one notch higher for concern at Level 4 purple.

Cuyahoga and every other county in Northeast Ohio remain on red alert in Thursdays update from the Ohio Department of Health.

The red alert designation, according to the states advisory system, means there is a public emergency for increased exposure and spread and that people should exercise a high degree of caution.

Lorain County was on watch for going purple this week, but the situation there has improved, according to the indicators tracked by the state. Lorain County was on purple alert from Nov. 25 through Dec. 9, before being dropped back down to red on Dec. 10.

Level 4 purple comes with the warning from the Ohio Department of Health to only leave home for supplies and services.

The only four counties at the lower concern level of orange are Gallia, Hocking, Monroe and Vinton - all in Southeast Ohio.

Many indicators, however, have been improving. The 3,406 coronavirus patients reported hospitalized Thursday was down 36% from the record of 5,308 on Dec. 15. And the 42,411 cases reported over the last week represented the lowest seven-day total since Nov. 13.

Yet both the number of hospitalizations and new cases far exceeds the levels of late summer and early fall.

We are still in a very difficult time, Gov. Mike DeWine said in explaining why caution and restrictions needed to continue.

The state closely tracks the rate of new cases per 100,000 people, excluding incarcerated individuals. Every Ohio county exceeds the Centers for Disease Control criteria for high incidence, of at least 100 per 100,000 over the last two weeks.

The highest rates this week in Ohio are for Fayette County (872.9 per 100,000), Clermont (869.6) and Pickaway (853.6).

Lake County has the highest rate in the Cleveland-Akron area, with 692.2 cases per 100,000), topping Lorain County (685.5), Summit (626.4), Cuyahoga (583), Portage (581.7), Geauga (567) and Medina (548.6).

The lowest rate statewide is for Holmes County, with 234.3 cases per 100,000.

Fayette and Clermont County have the highest rates for new coronavirus cases per 100,000 people over the last two weeks. Also among the top 30 rates among the state's 88 counties are those for Lake, Lorain and Summit counties in the Greater Cleveland/Akron area.Ohio Department of Health

The state tracks seven measures to determine alert levels. The indicators include the number of new cases per capita, increases in visits to doctors and emergency rooms, hospital capacity levels and how many cases are originating outside congregate living facilities such as nursing homes.

Cuyahoga met the threshold for concern in three of the seven categories this week - the rate of new cases per 100,000 residents, a consecutive day streak that ended Jan. 5 with increased emergency room visits each day, and for a high share of cases in the community outside congregate living facilities. The state looks back three weeks on consecutive day tracking.

Lorain County was flagged for four metrics being tracked - the same three as Cuyahoga, plus for an increase in news cases on consecutive days through Jan. 5.

Heres a closer look at the advisory system DeWine introduced in early July.

* 1. New cases - Alert triggered when there are 50 new cases per cases 100,000 residents over the last two weeks.

* 2. Increase in new cases - Alert triggered by an increase in cases for five straight days at any point over the last three weeks. This is based on the date of onset of symptoms, not when the cases are reported.

* 3. Non-congregate living cases - Alert triggered when at least 50% of the new cases in one of the last three weeks have occurred in outside congregate living spaces such as nursing homes and prisons.

* 4. Emergency rooms - Alert triggered when there is an increase in visits for COVID-like symptoms or a diagnosis for five straight days at any point in the last three weeks.

* 5. Doctor visits - Alert triggered when there is an increase in out-patient visits resulting in confirmed cases or suspected diagnosis for COVID-19 for five straight days at any point in the last three weeks.

* 6. Hospitalizations - Alert triggered when there is an increase in new COVID-19 patients for five straight days at any point over the last three weeks. This is based on the county or residence, not the location of the hospital.

* 7. Intensive Care Unit occupancy - Alert triggered when ICU occupancy in a region exceeds 80% of total ICU beds and at least 20% of the beds are being used for coronavirus patients for at least three days in the last week.

Rich Exner, data analysis editor forcleveland.com, writes about numbers on a variety of topics. Follow on Twitter@RichExner. See other data-related stories atcleveland.com/datacentral.

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Lorain County avoids purple as Ohios coronavirus alert map is unchanged from last week - mostly red - cleveland.com