(Cincinnati, OH) - Hamilton County's numbers continue to trend in the wrong direction. Health Commissioner Greg Kesterman says there are now about 7,000 active cases of COVID-19 in Hamilton County, a number that increases week after week.
Back in December, there were 716 new cases of COVID on average per day. This week Kesterman says the county is now seeing an average of 361 new cases each day....and growing week after week.
Kesterman says hospital numbers linked to COVID-19 continue to trend upward at a rapid rate.
"Our hospitals have 441 patients within the systems, 126 people within the intensive care unit of which 110 (patients) are on ventilators," Kesterman told Hamilton County Commissioners on Tuesday. He says people in their 60's are ending up in the hospital at the highest rate.
The Health Commissioner is encouraged by progress on vaccination. Kesterman says 70% of people in their 50's have been vaccinated, a threshold which is a federal goal. For those above the age of 12, Kesterman says 65% have been vaccinated and it is increasing week after week.
"You hear me say this week after week but I'll continue to reiterate. The vaccines are extremely effective. If you've been vaccinated, the breakthrough rate for hospitalizations is 2.54 (percent). And for death it's about 1%. So we have an extremely effective vaccine that's doing its job."