Of the nine days with the most newly reported COVID-19 cases in the state, six of them have occurred in the past six days.

That includes 1,261 cases reported Monday, the eighth-most for a day.

While still high, it’s the least number of newly reported COVID-19 cases in the state since Thursday with 1,150 — the ninth-most for a day.

In between, there were 1,525 cases reported Friday, the most for a day; 1,358 on Saturday, the fourth-most; and 1,378 on Sunday, the third-most. There were 1,277 cases reported Wednesday, the seventh-most for a day.

Also, the 5,522 cases between Friday and Monday is the most for a four-day period ever in the state.

Of the state’s 66,853 cases since the pandemic started, 26 percent were reported between June 28, about when cases started to significantly increase, and Monday.

Of those with the virus, 45,194 are “presumed recovered,” according to the Ohio Department of Health. Also, 3,064 have died, including six Monday. The Trumbull County Combined Health District reported two COVID-19 deaths Monday in the county that weren’t yet included in the state count.

Cases are at record levels, but deaths during the past few weeks are about half of what they were in late April and through most of May.

It is common for reported deaths and cases to lag behind actual ones because of delays in reporting data from local health districts, as well as the time it takes to file COVID-19 death certificates and determining if the virus was the reason for a fatality and / or illness.

Gov. Mike DeWine and health officials say increased testing plays a part in the increased number of cases, but it has more to do with community spread.

The rate of those testing positive is increasing with the seven-day average being 6.1 percent. On Saturday, the most recent date reported by the Ohio Department of Health, 18,294 people were tested with 6.5 percent coming back positive for the virus.

TRUMBULL MANDATE

The mask mandate that took effect in Trumbull County last week could be lifted Thursday if a trend remains on one of the four indicators the county met to put it into the “red” level on the statewide alert system.

Trumbull is among 12 counties in the state listed at level 3 (red) that requires residents to wear a mask in public, with some exceptions.

To reach level 3, a county must have four to five of seven indicators determined by the Ohio Department of Health. Trumbull has four.

Based on state data, Trumbull could go below at least one indicator this week. That would mean it could reach level 2 (orange) when the new reports are released Thursday, potentially lifting the mask mandate.

That indicator showing a downward trend in Trumbull County is having more than 50 cases per 100,000 residents during the last two weeks.

Trumbull had 47.3 cases per 100,000 residents between June 24 and 30, but that dropped significantly to 14.6 cases between July 1 and 7 for a total of 61.9 cases over the two weeks, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

It initially hit level 3 July 2 — the day the COVID-19 advisory system was introduced — because of the 47.3 cases between June 24 and 30, and 51.4 cases between June 17 and 23. The mask mandate for counties in level 3 took effect last Wednesday.

But if the county doesn’t reach more than 35.4 cases per 100,000 residents between last Wednesday and today, when the next report is provided Thursday, it won’t have more than 50 cases per 100,000 residents. That will be one less indicator reached by the county.

If Trumbull drops from four to three indicators, masks would no longer be required in the county.

Trumbull reported 1,083 total cases as of Monday, an increase of 14 since Sunday.

Mahoning County listed 1,971 cases, an increase of 23 since Sunday.

Columbiana County had 1,406 cases, an increase of 21 since Sunday. The Columbiana County Health District reported that 920 cases are inmates at the Federal Correctional Institution in Elkton and 90 are at long-term care facilities.

There were two deaths reported Monday in the Mahoning Valley for a total of 381 for the three counties.

Mahoning has 239, but none reported since Thursday. It still has the fourth-most deaths among Ohio’s 88 counties.

Trumbull has 82 deaths with two reported Monday. It continues to have the eighth-most deaths in the statewide.

Columbiana has 60 deaths with none reported since July 1. It is tied for 10th-most in Ohio.

dskolnick@tribtoday.com