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Coronavirus

As a new strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) swept through the world in 2020, preparedness plans, masking policies and more public policy changed just as quickly. WVXU has covered the pandemic's impact on the Tri-State from the very beginning, when on March 3, 2020, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine barred spectators from attending the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus over concerns about the virus, even though Ohio had yet to confirm a single case of COVID-19.

Ohio COVID-19 Hospitalizations Set Pandemic Record

The Statehouse News Bureau | By Karen Kasler

Published July 23, 2020 at 5:04 PM EDT

The Greater Columbus Convention Center was transformed into a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in April as officials expected a surge of cases. It was torn down but officials said it could be reassembled in a few days if needed.

There were more than 1,400 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Ohio Thursday, with 21 new confirmed deaths. And the numbers of people hospitalized with COVID are at their highest levels so far in the pandemic. But the state’s hospitals say they’re ready.

There are 1,100 people hospitalized with COVID in Ohio, higher than at the peak in the spring.

Some other breakdowns:

1,105 current hospitalizations (up from 1,098 yesterday)

365 in ICU (up from 347 yesterday)

178 on ventilators (up from 169 yesterday)

Total tests 1,240,659: 23,397 new, up from 21,491 new yesterday

Positivity rate 6.4%; 7-day moving average 6.3%— Karen Kasler (@karenkasler) July 23, 2020

And Dr. Deborah Birx from the White House coronavirus task force told officials on a private callthat there are 12 cities with increasing levels of virus spread. That list includes Cleveland and Columbus.

Andhttps://twitter.com/karenkasler/status/1286360935532093445?s=20Ohio Hospital Association president and CEO Mike Abrams said the system is at 72 percent capacity, a number that sounds high but he said is expected.

“In the event that we would see a surge beyond what the hospitals could accommodate, we have buildout plans in all three zones throughout the state and we could delay procedures again if it got to that," Abrams said.

But the OHA said no hospitals or ICUs are operating at or close to 100% capacity.

While Gov. Mike DeWine said the state is at a tipping point, he notes that unlike a few months ago, facilities now have those buildout plans in place should a surge happen.

Spikes in COVID-19 cases in Floridahave overwhelmed hospitals there. Intensive care beds in Texas have been filling up, and for the first time in history, officials in Arizona have activated protocols to prioritize treatment because beds are becoming scarce.