Takeaways
COVID-19 UpdatesInterpreting the Pandemic for Ohio and Midwest Communities
In April of 2020, Midstory’s data team pivoted all its operations to bring important and timely COVID-19 data to the public in a time of crisis and uncertainty. We began this project with a simple desire to better understand the current pandemic situation and to keep Ohioans and Midwesterners informed with posts focused on counts of cases, deaths and hospitalizations locally and regionally. As time went on, we discovered just how much COVID-19 has affected all aspects of our lives, and reflected this in the various topics we reported on, including unemployment, demography, economics, education, voting, policies, hospital occupancy, vaccinations, variants, travel and mobility (see past updates here). Our goal is not only to inform the public with accurate data, but also to provide a proper interpretation that can serve the needs of the community in this critical time.
In 2022, our team grew and we launched a new COVID-19 dashboard. Entering 2023, the pandemic is behind us, but we also know that COVID will continue to be a part of our everyday lives, although in less severe ways. In response to these changing times, we're transitioning our COVID updates to a monthly basis. Check back for reliable local, state and national COVID-19 data. - The Midstory Data Team
- After COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Ohio plummeted in January of this year, they have gradually started increasing throughout February. Now, at the end of the month, average daily cases are about 1,300 and increased by 15% compared to a month ago. Average daily deaths decreased by 24%.
- As of February 23, 65 counties in Ohio were low-risk for COVID-19, 22 were medium risk and only one county (Gallia County) was high-risk. Lucas County had a low-risk level.
- Average daily cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the U.S. continued to decrease throughout February. Average daily cases are around 37k and decreased by 7% compared to January. Average daily deaths decreased by 55%.
- COVID-19 cases per 100k in the U.S. in the past seven days ranged between 5 – 18 cases, with Delaware having the highest number of cases. The average number of cases per 100k in the U.S. was 10 as of February 28.
Note: Due to a likely delay in reporting, cases, hospitalizations and vaccinations in Ohio were lower than expected, and data from the past few days were not included in this update.
Takeaways
- After COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Ohio plummeted in January of this year, they have gradually started increasing throughout February. Now, at the end of the month, average daily cases are about 1,300 and increased by 15% compared to a month ago. Average daily deaths decreased by 24%.
- As of February 23, 65 counties in Ohio were low-risk for COVID-19, 22 were medium risk and only one county (Gallia County) was high-risk. Lucas County had a low-risk level.
- Average daily cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the U.S. continued to decrease throughout February. Average daily cases are around 37k and decreased by 7% compared to January. Average daily deaths decreased by 55%.
- COVID-19 cases per 100k in the U.S. in the past seven days ranged between 5 – 18 cases, with Delaware having the highest number of cases. The average number of cases per 100k in the U.S. was 10 as of February 28.
Note: Due to a likely delay in reporting, cases, hospitalizations and vaccinations in Ohio were lower than expected, and data from the past few days were not included in this update.
About the Data
Midstory uses data from multiple sources, including the Ohio Department of Health, the New York Times, Our World in Data and NPR, and brings them together into one central location. All data is subject to change as new data becomes available, and may not accurately reflect the actual number of cases, deaths, hospitalizations and vaccinations. Our data excludes any anomalies that may appear from delays in reporting to government agencies.