CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cuyahoga County and most northern Ohio counties remained yellow, for moderate COVID-19 spread, for the fourth week in a row on the latest U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention map.
Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit counties were classified as yellow.
Nearby Erie, Trumbull and Mahoning counties were designated red, for high COVID-19 spread.
Across the state, the number of counties classified as red increased, and those classified as green, for low COVID-19 spread, decreased.
People in red counties with high transmission are advised by the CDC to wear masks indoors. Counties are considered to have high transmission levels when community coronavirus circulation could overwhelm local hospitals.
People who live in yellow-designated counties, and are at risk for severe COVID-19, should ask their healthcare provider whether they should wear masks or take other precautions, according to the CDC.
The CDC map was updated late Thursday.
Across Ohio, 16 counties were classified red, for high COVID-19 spread. In addition, 51 Ohio counties were designated yellow, and 21 were green.
Last week, the statewide tally was 12 red-designated counties, 43 yellow-designated counties and 33 green.
Counties are classified as low (green), medium (yellow) or high (red) under the CDC’s system for estimating the risk of COVID-19 infection.
The CDC color-coded designations were introduced on Feb. 25. In early March, all of Ohio’s counties were green or yellow; none were red. In late August, a majority of Ohio’s counties were red.
Dec. 22 northern Ohio county designations
Ashtabula County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Cuyahoga County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Geauga County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Lake County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Lorain County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Medina County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Portage County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Summit County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Dec. 15 northern Ohio county designations
Ashtabula County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Cuyahoga County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Geauga County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Lake County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Lorain County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Medina County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Portage County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Summit County: Yellow (medium transmission)
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Julie Washington covers healthcare for cleveland.com. Read previous stories at this link. Also:
