COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio surpassed 5,000 new coronavirus cases Friday for the first time, setting another new daily record.
An additional 5,008 Ohioans tested positive for COVID-19 as of Friday, bringing the statewide total to 240,178, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
This shatters the previous record of 4,961, which was set Thursday — the same day Gov. Mike DeWine appointed Stephanie McCloud as the new health department director and Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff as the department's chief medical officer.
Friday's cases were more than a three-week average of 2,961 new cases reported per day.
As of Friday, 2,170 Ohioans remained hospitalized with COVID-19, a new record. Of that, 547 patients with COVID-19 were in the intensive care unit and 280 on ventilators, according to the state.
Deaths rose Friday by 33, which is more than the three-week average of 21 new deaths reported per day. So far, the virus has killed 5,494 Ohioans, according to the state.
An additional 231 Ohioans were hospitalized with COVID-19 by Friday, more than the three-week average of 159 new hospitalizations a day, state data shows. There have been 20,246 Ohioans that have been hospitalized with COVID-19 since March.
Admissions to intensive care units increased Friday by 22, which is the three-week average of new ICU admissions a day. 3,991 COVID-19 patients have been admitted to the ICU since March.
The state's positivity rate continues to be high. On Wednesday, the most recent day for which testing data is available, the state reported a daily positivity rate of 8.9% and a seven-day average positivity rate of 7.9%. Daily positivity rates were in the 2.5% to 2.7% range six weeks ago.
Franklin County added no new deaths Friday and 584 cases. In total, Franklin County has reported 36,812 cases and 643 deaths, according to the state.
