Until Saturday, the number of reported COVID-19 deaths in the Mahoning Valley was at its lowest point since the pandemic began.

However, the Valley reported 12 deaths on Saturday, 10 of which came from Mahoning County and one from both Trumbull and Columbiana counties. This is the most reported Valley deaths since May 10, which also reported 12 deaths.

The number of reported COVID-19 deaths in Ohio jumped 46 from Friday, with 424 new cases reported Saturday for a total of 40,848 cases statewide.

Mahoning County now has 1,586 cases and 332 hospitalizations, up 10 and one respectively since Friday.

Trumbull County has 652 cases, up from 645, and 168 hospitalizations, which is down from 189 on Friday. There hadn’t been a COVID-19 fatality reported in Trumbull County since June 6.

Oftentimes, reported deaths lag behind actual deaths — sometimes by several weeks — because of delays in filing COVID-19 death certificates and also determining if the virus was the reason for the fatalities.

That is evident in the Mahoning Valley as Ohio Department of Health data shows 49 actual COVID-19 deaths during the week of May 10, when 37 were reported. That was the deadliest week in the Valley in terms of deaths.

Columbiana County’s numbers are staying steady with two new reported cases.

Mahoning has the fourth-most deaths among Ohio’s 88 counties and has held that position daily since May 12. It is also sixth in most hospitalizations and eighth for most cases. Trumbull has moved up to the 11th spot for most fatalities while Columbiana has stayed at the 10th-most. Trumbull is 10th in hospitalizations and 14th in cases. Columbiana is 11th in the state in both hospitalizations and cases.

bshiller@tribtoday.com