Local COVID-19 case incidence still increasing

Medina County's seven-day COVID-19 case incidence rate has increased by roughly 20 percent over the past week, according to newest local, state, and federal data. Numbers updated Friday by the Medina County Health Department show an incidence rate of 388.3 per 100,000 residents compared to 317.1 on Nov. 12. COVID-19 infection has now resulted in 343 local deaths among a cumulative caseload of 24,368 that's also led to an even 1,000 hospitalizations. The latest fatality reportedly occurred on Nov. 7, according to the Ohio Department of Health. The Medina County Health Department's weekly update also indicated that local cases in active isolation have jumped over the past seven days from 951 to 1,145. In the past two weeks, Medina County's 44212 zip code containing the city of Brunswick has registered the fifth most new COVID-19 cases statewide at 378. The county's largest zip code housing the city of Medina, 44256, is not far behind at number 10 and 315 new cases. Case spike periods in 2021 have sometimes led to 44256 ranking in the state's top five. In regards to most new cases over the past 30 days, 44212 is also ranked number five in Ohio with 699 and 44256 is eighth at 651. State data has Medina County at a vaccine completion rate of 57.59 percent, about five percent above rates being seen across Ohio. Listed criteria for that status includes that "an individual has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses and is considered fully immunized." Additional vaccine doses have been provided to 24,990 Medina County residents since Aug. 13, according to ODH. Ohio's cumulative caseload now sits at 1.64 million, resulting in 26,063 deaths and 84,073 hospitalizations. The state reported 5,590 new cases on Saturday to bring its 21-day average to 4,579. Contact reporter Jonathan Delozier at (330) 721-4050 or jdelozier@medina-gazette.com.