The number of COVID-19 cases in the state is declining, but hospitals remain filled with patients with the virus, said Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, the Ohio Department of Health’s director.

“It is far too early for us to claim victory,” he said Thursday. “While cases are declining, the situation in our hospitals remains very serious.”

Vanderhoff said: “It appears the delta surge has in fact plateaued. Nevertheless, we continue to see very high numbers of COVID-19 cases and hosptalizations.”

Hospitals in the state “continue to face capacity challenges,” he said.

About one in every six Ohio hospital patients have tested positive for COVID-19 and 1 in 4 people in intensive care units have the virus, Vanderhoff said.

There were 301 new COVID-19 hospitalizations Thursday compared to 123 a year ago.

While the number of COVID-19 cases in the state — and the nation — remain high, it’s decreased in recent weeks, he said.

“We are higher than we were a year ago, but I remain cautiously optimistic that we’ll continue to see our cases decline as we move forward,” Vanderhoff said.

There were 5,143 new cases reported Thursday.

There were 2,039 cases reported Oct. 14, 2020. But the number of COVID-19 cases in the state significantly increased the following November, December and January. They are the three months with the most cases in the state during the pandemic.

Last month had the fourth-most cases for a month in the state, but Ohio has experienced a decline in October.

The 21-day daily average a month ago was 6,600. It was 5,345 Thursday, according to the ODH.

But Vanderhoff also said: “The high rate of hospitalizations in both children and adults really does continue to put strains on our health care system.”

Most COVID-19 cases are reported in those who are unvaccinated and have the delta variant, which makes people sicker faster, he said.

COVID-19 DATA

The 5,143 COVID-19 cases Thursday is down from the daily average of 5,345 for the past 21 days, according to the ODH.

Thursday’s total includes 300 cases in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties combined.

The state had a total of 1,485,514 COVID-19 cases as of Thursday with 1,3605,503 presumed recovered.

The ODH usually provides death information on Tuesdays and Fridays. There were 23,021 total COVID-19 deaths in the state as of Tuesday.

Mahoning County had 29,913 total COVID-19 cases as of Thursday with 26,818 presumed recovered and 667 deaths.

Trumbull County had 22,248 total COVID-19 cases as of Thursday with 19,790 presumed recovered and 541 deaths.

Columbiana County had 13,496 total COVID-19 cases as of Thursday with 11,873 presumed recovered and 257 deaths.

VACCINATIONS

There were 6,389,065 people, 54.66 percent of the state’s population, who had at least started getting inoculated as of 6 a.m. Thursday, including 7,245 in the previous 24 hours, according to the ODH.

In Mahoning County, 52.6 percent of the population (120,279 people) had received at least one dose with 50.45 percent of the population in Trumbull County (99,883 people) and 43 percent in Columbiana County (43,807 people) as of 6 a.m. Thursday, according to the ODH.

There were 5,956,542 people, 50.96 percent of the state’s population, who finished the vaccinations as of 6 a.m. Thursday, including 7,419 in the prior 24 hours.

In Mahoning County, 49.2 percent of the population (112,505 people) had completed the process and 46.78 percent of the population in Trumbull (92,609 people) and 40.32 percent of the population in Columbiana (41,093 people) had as of 6 a.m. Thursday.