Cuyahoga County Remains 'Orange' Amid Statewide Coronavirus Surge

AVON, OH — As COVID-19 numbers trend up in Ohio, Cuyahoga County is still classified as "orange" for relatively low spread of the virus locally.

The state uses a color-coded classification system to categorize the COVID-19 threat in every county. Orange is the second lowest ranking a county can have and means there is "increased exposure and spread" locally.

There are only 12 counties in Ohio classified as "yellow," which is the lowest threat level a county can have for COVID-19 spread.

Cuyahoga County has averaged 50.3 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents, significantly lower than Franklin and Hamilton counties.

While Cuyahoga County's COVID-19 threat holds steady, other Ohio counties are seeing a renewed surge in cases, deaths and hospitalizations related to the virus. Gov. Mike DeWine said the state is now "trending in the wrong direction."

"Our basic prevention measures hold as true today as they did at the beginning of the pandemic: Stay home when you are sick—even if you think you have allergies or a common cold. Wear a mask. Social distance. And quarantine when you are exposed," the governor said.

DeWine urged Ohioans to cooperate with contact tracers and to continue using common sense to avoid dangerous situations.

"To live with the virus, we need to adjust our routines. That may mean reconsidering attending a crowded event or going to a party. And if you happen to get sick—please answer the phone when you get a call from a contact tracer," DeWine said.

The state has seen an overall increase in positive COVID-19 tests.

"Right now Ohio’s positivity rate has jumped to 3.9% and the 7-day rolling average is 3.3%. This reflects the ongoing increasing trend of virus spread that we are seeing throughout the state. These numbers are not good," DeWine said during a news conference on Thursday.

This article originally appeared on the Cleveland Patch