( Columbus ) - The State of Ohio marked more than a thousand new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, and the ongoing spike now has more counties in the Level 3 Red Alert stage.
Clermont County joins Hamilton, Butler, and Montgomery Counties as being in the red in the southwest part of the state, and in Thursday's update from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, he said Hamilton and Butler are now on the "watch list" to go to Level 4 Purple Alert. There are now twelve counties at the Level 3 Red stage, up from 7 previously. People who live in those newly named counties in the red will have to start wearing masks in public starting Friday evening.
Governor DeWine says if Ohioans want things like football this fall and other activities, the next 30 days are going to be crucial.