YOUNGSTOWN — After months of low numbers of COVID-19 cases in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana county nursing homes and assisted living facilities, those numbers rose, especially in Mahoning County.

Even after the number of cases in the general population rose significantly over the past month, long-term care facilities such as nursing homes remained at low levels until now.

John Saulitis, director of the nonprofit long-term care ombudsman program known as Direction Home of Eastern Ohio, said several weeks ago that he thinks nursing homes have had low numbers over the past months because such facilities have learned a lot of lessons and increased and improved testing among residents and staff. “There’s more personal protective equipment. There’s more attention to infection control,” he said.

Mahoning County had only four facilities with at least three patient or staff cases two weeks ago, but the number of facilities with three or more cases rose this week to 12.

Trumbull County had one facility with three patient or staff cases two weeks ago but has three facilities with that many this week.

As a state, patient and staff cases rose significantly compared with two weeks ago.

There were 1,788 patient cases two weeks ago, but that rose to 2,639 this week. There were 1,228 staff cases two weeks ago across Ohio, but that rose to 2,359 cases this week.

Deaths at area nursing homes and assisted living facilities rose in the past two weeks. Mahoning has 199 deaths compared to 194 two weeks ago. Trumbull County has 78 deaths, the same as two weeks ago. And Columbiana County has 56 deaths, three more than two weeks ago.

The number of virus cases at Trumbull Correctional Institution in Leavittsburg rose from zero to four in the past two weeks. The number at the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center on Hubbard Road in Youngstown continued to be zero.

By the numbers

Only facilities with three or more cases are listed. The “total” cases listed below are the total number the facility has had since April 15.

Mahoning County

Antonine Village nursing home in North Jackson, 5 patient cases, 0 staff case; total of 31 patient cases, 6 staff cases.

Austintown Healthcare nursing home, 5 patient cases, 4 staff cases; total of 11 patient cases, 10 staff cases.

Briarfield Manor nursing home in Austintown, 12 patient cases and 2 staff cases; total 12 patient cases and 9 staff cases.

Crandall Medical Center assisted living, Sebring, 0 patient cases, 4 staff cases; total of 8 patient cases, 19 staff cases.

Crandall Medical Center nursing home, Sebring, 0 patient cases, 3 staff cases; total of 105 patient cases, 52 staff cases.

Hampton Woods nursing home in Poland, 9 patient cases, 5 staff cases; total of 17 patient cases, 10 staff cases.

Humility House nursing home in Austintown, 3 patient cases, 9 staff cases; total of 35 patient cases and 34 staff cases.

Ivy Woods nursing home in North Lima, 3 patient cases, 6 staff cases; total of 3 patient cases and 6 staff cases.

Marian Living Center assisted living center in North Lima, 0 patient cases, 3 staff cases; total of 7 patient cases and 8 staff cases.

Park Vista Retirement Home nursing home, Youngstown, 3 patient cases, 0 staff cases; total of 32 patient cases, 11 staff cases.

St. Mary Alzheimer’s nursing home in Columbiana, 3 patient cases, 1 staff case; total of 51 patient cases, 39 staff cases.

The Assumption Village nursing home, North Lima, 2 patient cases, 3 staff cases; total of 21 patient cases, 32 staff cases.

Trumbull County

O’Brien Memorial Nursing Home in Masury, 3 patient cases, 4 staff cases; total of 30 patient cases, 10 staff cases.

Ohio Lake Vista nursing home in Cortland, 3 patient cases, 13 staff cases; total of 4 patient cases, 14 staff cases.

Shepherd of the Valley Liberty, formerly Niles, 0 patient cases, 3 staff cases; total of 6 patient cases, 15 staff cases.

Columbiana County

Salem North nursing home, 10 patient cases and 7 staff cases; total of 74 patient cases and 17 staff cases.

SOURCE: Ohio Department of Health