Amid concerns of the spread of COVID-19, an employee has their temperature checked in this May file photo. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

The state is seeing an increase in the average number of new COVID-19 cases reported during the first 14 days of September compared to the month of August.

September is currently on pace to be the second-highest month for new cases reported in a month with only July being higher.

As of Tuesday, 15,327 COVID-19 cases have been reported for September. That’s a daily average of 1,095.

It’s only 501 fewer cases reported for the entire month of April in Ohio.

August totaled 31,998 cases for a daily average of 1,032.

The number of reported cases is increasing during a month that is seeing classes resume in Ohio, although several schools are having online-only instruction.

Also, it’s common for reported cases to lag behind actual ones, sometimes by as much as several weeks.

The state had a record 39,370 COVID-19 cases in July for a daily average of 1,270.

The state imposed a face-mask mandate July 23 as the number of cases was peaking.

The number of cases since July is significantly more than during the other months of the pandemic.

April had 15,828 reported cases for an average of 528 per day. May listed 17,486 reported cases for a daily average of 564, and June had 16,276 new cases for a daily average of 543.

The first reported COVID-19 case in Ohio was March 9. March posted 2,199 reported cases. The state averaged 96 cases per day starting March 9.

The state’s COVID-19 death rate so far is lower for September than for any other month besides March during the pandemic.

The Ohio Department of Health reported 281 COVID-19 deaths in the state during the first 14 days of September. That’s slightly above 20 per day. At that rate, the state will have about 602 COVID-19 deaths this month.

The state reported 649 COVID-19 deaths in August, 626 in July and 708 in June.

May had the highest number of reported COVID-19 deaths in the state with 1,180, followed by 920 in April.

The first confirmed COVID-19 death in the state was March 17. March had 55 reported COVID-19 deaths.

Ohio reported 138,484 total COVID-19 cases through Monday with 115,708 presumed recovered and 4,419 deaths, according to the ODH.

Mahoning County reported 2,960 total cases Monday with 2,558 presumed recovered and 274 deaths. Mahoning, the 12th-most populous county in Ohio, has the ninth-most cases and fifth-most deaths.

Trumbull County listed 1,817 total cases Monday with 1,613 presumed recovered and 127 deaths. Trumbull, the 15th-most populous county, has the 17th-most cases and the ninth-most deaths in Ohio.

Columbiana County has 1,902 total COVID-19 cases with 1,739 presumed recovered and 71 deaths. Columbiana, the 26th-most populous county, has the 16th-most cases and the 12th-most deaths in the state.

dskolnick@tribtoday.com