The rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 Ohioans continues to decline sharply, hitting its lowest point in more than seven months.

There were 104.7 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents for the period between Feb. 17 and Wednesday compared to 160.7 cases per 100,000 last week, according to data provided Thursday by the Ohio Department of Health.

The state’s case number is barely higher than what the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers to be high-transmission areas for COVID-19. The CDC number for high transmission is 100 cases per 100,000.

It hasn’t been below that since July 29, 2021, when 77.4 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents were reported by the ODH. The Thursday case number is the lowest for Ohio since then.

Mahoning and Trumbull counties were below 100 COVID-19 cases per 100,000.

The CDC number of what it calls a substantial risk of COVID-19 transmission is 50 cases per 100,000 residents.

It was the sixth consecutive week of declines after 11 straight weeks of increases.

The state saw a 35 percent reduction in cases per 100,000 residents from last week.

Ohio had 255.8 COVID-19 cases two weeks ago, 481 COVID-19 cases three weeks ago, 949.5 COVID-19 cases four weeks ago and 1,582 COVID-19 cases five weeks ago.

It hit a record-high 2,154.8 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents on Jan. 20.

Also, the state’s COVID-19 hospitalization rate has declined from its Jan. 11 peak of 6,729 to 954 Thursday, according to Ohio Hospital Association statistics.

VALLEY RATES

The rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents declined in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties. But Columbiana had a higher number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 than the state average.

Mahoning is 71st in the state this week with 77.8 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents.

It was 69th last week with 126.4 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents.

Mahoning was 69th two weeks ago with 208.6 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents, 74th three weeks ago with 344.6 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents, 77th four weeks ago with 620.9 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents and 76th five weeks ago with 1,102.8 COVID-19 cases per 100,000.

Trumbull is 69th this week with 79.8 cases per 100,000 residents.

Trumbull was 72nd last week with 126.4 cases per 100,000 residents.

It was 76th two weeks ago with 166.7 cases per 100,000 residents, 78th three weeks ago with 294.5 cases per 100,000 residents, also 78th four weeks ago with 541 cases per 100,000 residents and 79th five weeks ago with 958.2 cases per 100,000.

Columbiana is 32nd in the state this week with 132.5 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents.

It was 41st last week with 185.5 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents.

Columbiana was 49th two weeks ago with 278.8 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents, 65th three weeks ago with 442.7 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents, 70th four weeks ago with 784.2 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents and also 70th five weeks with 1,384.9 COVID-19 cases per 100,000.

The ODH measures cases per 100,000 residents among counties to get a fair comparison because total cases would result in more-populous counties ranking higher.