The number of new COVID-19 infections in the state rose by 2,611 Saturday, breaking a streak of six consecutive days with infections below 2,500.

However, it still means the number of infections in the state last week — 14,765 –was the lowest number since the week of Oct. 18, when there were 14,123. By comparison, there were 56,304 new cases in the state the week of Jan. 3.

Mahoning County had 45 new infections Saturday, followed by Trumbull at 27 and Columbiana at 14, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

The number of COVID-19 deaths reported for Trumbull County went up by one Saturday, Mahoning’s number went up by two, and Columbiana’s number rose by one.

As for COVID-19 vaccinations, 25,797 Ohioans received their first dose of the vaccine Saturday, and 12.17 percent of the state’s population had received his or her first shot by Saturday.

A total of 59.3 percent of Ohioans 80 and over have now received a COVID-19 vaccine; 41.6 percent of Ohioans 70 to 79 years old; 15.7 percent of Ohioans 60 to 69 years old; 10.1 percent of Ohioans 50 to 59 years old; 10 percent of Ohioans 40 to 49 years old; 9.1 percent of Ohioans 30 to 39; 6.2 percent of Ohioans 20 to 29; and 0.2 percent of Ohioans up to age 19.

Meanwhile, the number of deaths at long-term care facilities such as nursing homes since April 15 now stands at 6,876, which the Ohio Department of Health says rose 1,150 because of the agency failing to report thousands of COVID-19 deaths in October, November and December and then adding them in recent weeks.

What it means is that the number of deaths at long-term care facilities were undercounted by 20.8 percent.

The number of nursing home deaths rose in Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties substantially during the weekly count last week because of the error.

Trumbull’s number rose by nine, Mahoning’s rose by 60, and Columbiana County’s number rose by five.

erunyan@tribtoday.com