The two-day total of reported COVID-19 cases in Ohio is at its highest point in more than six weeks.

The Ohio Department of Health reported 547 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, a day after reporting 407 cases.

The increase is primarily caused by the delta variant and the outbreak largely could be prevented if more Ohioans were vaccinated, Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, ODH’s chief medical officer, said. Gov. Mike DeWine recently said the delta variant should be the dominant strain of the virus in the state by the end of this month.

The 954 total cases reported on Wednesday and Thursday is the most for a two-day period since 962 were reported on May 29 and 30.

Also, the 547 cases reported Thursday is the second most for a single day since 621 on June 4. Only 579 on July 1 had more cases reported on a single day since.

The 547 new cases reported Thursday is almost double the daily average of 276 for the past 21 days.

The state had a total of 1,115,789 COVID-19 cases as of Thursday with 1,087,774 presumed recovered.

The ODH usually provides death information on Tuesdays and Fridays. There were 20,411 total COVID-19 deaths as of Tuesday.

While COVID-19 cases are up statewide, only eight new cases were reported Thursday in the Mahoning Valley.

Mahoning County had 22,475 total COVID-19 cases as of Thursday with 21,735 presumed recovered and 612 deaths, according to the ODH.

Trumbull County had 16,637 total COVID-19 cases as of Thursday with 16,027 presumed recovered and 487 deaths.

Columbiana County had 9,074 total COVID-19 cases as of Thursday with 8,809 presumed recovered and 236 deaths.

VACCINATIONS

There were 5,646,850 people, 48.31 percent of the state’s population, who had at least started getting inoculated as of 6 a.m. Thursday, including 6,894 in the previous 24 hours, according to the ODH.

In Mahoning County, 46.93 percent of the population (107,310 people) had received at least one dose with 44.62 percent of the population in Trumbull County (88,338 people) and 37.76 percent in Columbiana County (38,466 people) as of 6 a.m. Thursday, according to the ODH.

There were 5,290,569 people, 45.26 percent of the state’s population,who finished the vaccinations as of 6 a.m. Thursday, including 7,316 in the prior 24 hours.

In Mahoning County, 43.55 percent of the population (99,602 people) had completed the process while 41.03 percent of the population in Trumbull (81,229 people) and 35.65 percent of the population in Columbiana (36,324 people) had as of 6 a.m. Thursday.

dskolnick@tribtoday.com

dskolnick@vindy.com