The number of COVID-19 cases in Ohio exceeded 1,000 for the second day after a three-day respite when it was below that amount.

Before Saturday, Ohio had more than 1,000 cases daily during 23 of the prior 24 days. Then the case numbers were from 928 to 944 between Saturday and Monday, and have gone above 1,000 the past two days — 1,199 Wednesday and 1,143 Tuesday.

During the first four days of this week, 4,218 COVID-19 cases have been reported , a daily average of 1,055.

That’s lower than the previous four weeks when the state had its four highest weekly COVID-19 cases reported. The record high was the week of July 12 with 9,608 cases, or 1,373 per day.

But the daily case average for the first four days of this week is higher than every other week since the start of the pandemic in mid-March.

During the past 29 days, 25 have exceeded 1,000 reported cases. Those 25 days also happen to be among the top 29 for the most reported cases in Ohio.

There were only five days in July when reported cases were below 1,000. Five days into August, there have already been three.

The state has reported 96,305 cases overall as of Wednesday with 72,950 presumed recovered and 3,596 deaths, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

ODH reported 26 COVID-19 deaths Wednesday with none in the Mahoning Valley.

On Wednesday, 1,004 people were in hospitals with the virus. At least 1,000 people have been in hospitals with COVID-19 for at least the past three weeks.

Mahoning County reported 2,470 total cases Wednesday with 1,883 presumed recovered and 253 deaths.

Trumbull County listed 1,465 total cases Wednesday with 1,123 presumed recovered and 105 deaths.

Columbiana County had 1,607 total cases Wednesday with 1,397 presumed recovered and 60 deaths.

That means active cases as of Wednesday by county were 334 in Mahoning, 237 in Trumbull and 150 in Columbiana.

Trumbull County has had three COVID-19 deaths so far this week and none were reported in Mahoning and Columbiana counties.

Since March 29, the lowest number of deaths for a full week for the Valley was July 12 with six.

Gov. Mike DeWine moved his scheduled 2 p.m. news conference today to Friday so he can meet President Donald Trump today when he lands in Cleveland. Trump will tour the Whirlpool Corp. plant in Clyde and then have a fundraiser in Cleveland.

dskolnick@tribtoday.com