COLUMBUS (WCMH) — Six more counties in the state have been moved to Level 3 of Ohio’s new COVID-19 Health Advisory Alert System, including two in central Ohio. 

According to Governor Mike DeWine, the following counties are now under a Level 3: 

• Butler 
• Clermont 
• Cuyahoga 
• Fairfield 
• Franklin 
• Hamilton 
• Lorain 
• Montgomery 
• Pickaway 
• Summit 
• Trumbull 
• Wood 

Last week, Franklin County was approaching Level 4 (Purple), but DeWine noted that it was taken off the watch list. This was due to the decrease in the number of residents hospitalized with COVID-19. 

Fairfield and Pickaway counties in central Ohio were added to the Level 3 group after an increase in the number of cases in each.

Residents in counties under a Level 3 are required to wear face coverings in public per an order from the Ohio Department of Health. The mask requirement goes into effect Friday at 6pm, according to Dewine.

NEW RISK LEVEL MAP: 12 counties have triggered enough indicators to be at Red Alert Level 3. Three of those counties are on the watch list, meaning they are close to reaching Level 4: Butler, Cuyahoga, Hamilton.

Franklin Co. dropped off the watch list. Huron now a Level 2. pic.twitter.com/59M9Yl4vT6

— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) July 9, 2020

Butler and Hamilton counties are now the only counties in the state that are approaching Level 4.

Huron County was a Level 3 last week, but has now dropped to a Level 2.  

Eighteen counties in the state moved from Level 1 to Level 2.  

DeWine said the levels are determined by seven data indicators: 

1. New cases per capita 

2. Sustained increase in new cases 

3. Proportion of cases that are not congregated cases 

4. Sustained increase in emergency room visits 

5. Sustained increase in outpatient visits 

6. Sustained increase in new COVID-19 hospital admissions 

7. Intensive care unit bed occupancy 

Alert Level One: 

• County has triggered zero or one of the indicators 
• Active exposure and spread 
• Follow all current health orders 

Alert Level Two: 

• County has triggered two or three of the indicators 
• Increased exposure and spread 
• Exercise high degree of caution 
• Follow all current health orders 

Alert Level Three: 

• County has triggered four or five of the indicators 
• Very high exposure and spread 
• Limit activities as much as possible 
• Follow all current health orders 

Alert Level Four: 

• County has triggered six or seven of the indicators 
• Severe exposure and spread 
• Only leave home for supplies and services 
• Follow all current health orders 

Ohio hopes to add contact tracing, tests per capita and percent positivity to this list of indicators.