Ohio has almost 10,000 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Saturday, according to the Ohio Health Department (ODH). This number may seem like a lot, but the percentage of people testing positive for the Chinese virus remains low in the state.
Out of all the tests Ohio has conducted, only 13 percent of people have come back positive for the coronavirus, according to The COVID Tracking Project (CTP).
Ohio’s positive test percentage is well below the national average of 20 percent and far less than states who have had an influx of cases, CTP data shows.
For example, in Michigan, the CTP numbers show that 31 percent of people have tested positive who have taken the test. This means someone in Michigan is more than two times more likely than someone in Ohio to test positive for COVID-19.
If Ohio is compared to the two hardest-hit states in the country, New York and New Jersey, its positive test percentage is nothing compared to those two states.
In New York and New Jersey, people who took a test came back positive 40 percent and 50 percent of the time respectively.
This shows that someone in New York and New Jersey is almost four times more likely to test positive for the coronavirus than someone in Ohio.
As a state, Ohio has been shut down ever since Gov. Mike DeWine issued a “stay-at-home” order on March 23.
During this time, DeWine and ODH Director Amy Acton have provided inaccurate projections on how many cases the Buckeye State would experience.
Ohioans across the state have taken notice of this and have shown their displeasure on how the state has handled the coronavirus pandemic. In the last two weeks, the state capitol has seen three protests.
Ohio will not be closed for much longer as DeWine is targeting May 1 as a date to re-open the economy. The governor said he will be working with Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana and Kentucky to open the region’s economy.
“Ohioans have done a great job, a phenomenal job, fighting back, staying home, ensuring physical distancing,” he said during Friday’s press conference. “We’ve been doing all the things that needed to be done. I’ve never been prouder to be an Ohioan and I’m very grateful for what you have done. You have flattened the curve.”
The “stay-at-home” order has caused many Ohio residents to lose their job. Over the last four weeks, Ohio has lost more jobs than it did in the last two years.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of Star News Digital Media. If you have any tips, email Zachery at [email protected].
