“We are moving in the right direction,” Clark County Combined Health District Commissioner Charles Patterson said. “We are continuing to fall.”
Coronavirus cases in Clark County began falling at a rapid clip between December and Feb. 26, according to data from the health district.
That week, the county hit its lowest point, confirming 98 cases of the virus. It was the lowest number of weekly cases since last year.
But the week of March 11, cases started climbing again — and a week later the county had more COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people than any other county in the state.
Between March 17 and March 25, Clark County reported 317 cases per 100,000 people.
At that time, Patterson said there were “a handful of reasons” why cases in Clark County were spiking up, including St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, children returning to school and sunny weather.
But since then, cases have fallen slowly and Patterson said the county is now reporting fewer than 200 cases per 100,000 people.
“Cases are continuing to fall. We are probably really close to about 150, 145 per 100,000 over two weeks,” Patterson said.
The health commissioner said he believes cases are starting to fall again because people are becoming fully vaccinated.
As of Friday, 49,397 vaccination shots had been given in Clark County, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
Roughly 37% of the county’s total population has received at least one vaccine shot. Over 32% is fully vaccinated.
In Champaign County, 11,771 vaccination shots had been given out as of Friday. Just over 30% of the county’s total population had received at least one shot, 26% had been fully vaccinated.
Statewide, more than 40% of Ohioans have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine as of Friday, according to ODH.
“I think we are on the right track, but it doesn’t mean we need to go crazy,” Patterson said.
Clark County had 13,863 cases and 297 deaths of the coronavirus as of Friday afternoon, according to ODH.
Champaign County had 3,272 cases and 58 deaths.
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