Ohio reported 5,356 COVID-19 hospitalizations Dec. 29, surpassing the previous hospitalizations record of 5,308 on Dec. 15, 2020, Gov. Mike DeWine said in a press release.
Five things to know:
1. Of the hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 1,228 are in the intensive care unit, which is approaching the record high of 1,318 ICU patients reported on Dec. 15, 2020.
2. Mr. DeWine has asked the Ohio National Guard to deploy an additional 1,250 members to support hospitals during the current surge.
3. The five counties reporting the highest numbers of new hospitalizations are Stark, Summit, Portage, Geauga and Cuyahoga.
4. The Ohio Hospital Association is urging K-12 school officials throughout the state to reinstate masking mandates after students return from winter break.
5. Patty Manning, MD, chief of staff at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, told 10 WBNS Dec. 29 that pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations nearly tripled at the location in the last week.