VIENNA — With Mahoning and Trumbull counties at Level 3 (red) on the state’s COVID-19 system, showing them to be high-risk areas, Gov. Mike DeWine visited the area this morning to urge residents to do a better job.

“The Valley’s done well, but red is a real warning sign,” he said during a stop at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport.

People have let down their guard in recent weeks and the state is seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases because of that, DeWine said.

Most cases aren’t in schools or businesses, but with people doing normal things, such as meeting in larger groups without taking the proper safety precautions to stop the spread, he said.

“We’re saying we’ve got bad trends and we’re going red,” DeWine said. “We need to get serious again.”

He said he doesn’t see the recent increase as “a second wave” and right now doesn’t plan to make additional restrictions.

But with the colder weather approaching, DeWine said he’s concerned about a further increase in cases.

For more on the governor’s visit and what he had to say, read Saturday’s edition of The Vindicator.