Hamilton County Public Health

The lake recently closed to recreation after testing showed elevated levels of E. coli. Great Parks of Hamilton County says the nature of the retention lake means regular testing is important.

In a statement, the agency says the issue has been fixed. However, Winton Lake remains closed to recreation.

The Metropolitan Sewer District, Hamilton County Public Health, and Great Parks of Hamilton County are investigating a sewage discharge in Winton Woods that involved sewage getting into Winton Lake.

"It appears like a typical winter," Hamilton County Public Health Medical Director Steve Feagins says.

Hamilton County has been seeing roughly 143 cases per day. Health Commissioner Greg Kesterman says this is a far cry from what was seen during the omicron surge.

Hamilton County Health Commissioner Greg Kesterman says the CDC is reporting 85% of all COVID cases are the BA.2 variant and that it's probably the same case for cases in the region. However, he notes current trends locally are going in the right direction.

The county is averaging 74 cases per day. In just the past week, the county's confirmed 543 new cases. Commissioner Denise Driehaus says this is half of what was seen a couple of weeks ago.

Hamilton County is averaging 680 cases per day, nearly half of last week's average.

"We are still inundating our hospitals with people with COVID-19 and so caution still continues to be needed," Health Commissioner Greg Kesterman said.

"I do think that we need to just continue - as boring as it may sound - continue to emphasize the basics," Cincinnati Children's CEO Dr. Steve Davis said. "Get every kid 5 and over vaccinated if possible; have everybody wear masks indoors; and then I would say the balance of risk is better for them to be in school than it is for them to not."