Coronavirus Hospitalizations Still Surging In Ohio

COLUMBUS, OH — The surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations in Ohio continued Wednesday.

In the past 24 hours, at least 436 Ohioans have been hospitalized due to COVID-19, the state health department said. Since the start of the pandemic nearly 27,900 Ohioans have been hospitalized because of the virus.

Health officials from around the state have warned that hospitals are increasingly strained by the surge in hospitalizations and the virus' spread in communities. Many hospitals are facing shortages of nurses and doctors.

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Ohio officials also confirmed 123 new COVID-19-related deaths, well above the state's rolling average of 50 deaths per day. Nearly 6,700 Ohioans have died from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

There were 7,835 new COVID-19 cases confirmed on Wednesday, actually down slightly versus the rolling average of 8,122 new cases per day. However, the Ohio Department of Health is still sorting through thousands of unconfirmed positive cases.

Here are all of Wednesday's numbers:

• New cases: 7,835
• New deaths: 123
• New hospitalizations: 436
• New ICU admissions: 52

More reading:

• How Ohio Will Distribute Pfizer's COVID-19 Vaccine
• 'You Feel Isolated': Doctor Works 256 Straight Days Amid Pandemic
• Relaxed State Guidelines Continuing The Spread Of Virus