CLEVELAND, Ohio — More than half of Ohio’s 88 counties — including Cuyahoga, Lorain and Ashtabula — are red, or designated as having high COVID-19 transmission on the latest U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention map.
Cuyahoga and Lorain counties have remained red since late July.
People in red counties with high transmission are advised to wear masks indoors, according to the CDC. Counties are considered to have high transmission levels when community coronavirus circulation could overwhelm local hospitals.
The CDC map was updated late Thursday.
Six Northeast Ohio counties remain yellow, or designated as having medium COVID-19 transmission. Those counties are Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Summit and Portage.
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.
Across Ohio, 32 counties are designated yellow, and 56 are classified red. None are designated 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.
Aug. 26 Northern Ohio county designations
Ashtabula County: Red (high transmission)
Cuyahoga County: Red (high transmission)
Geauga County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Lake County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Lorain County: Red (high transmission)
Medina County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Portage County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Summit County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Aug. 18 Northern Ohio county designations
Ashtabula County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Cuyahoga County: Red (high transmission)
Geauga County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Lake County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Lorain County: Red (high transmission)
Medina County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Portage County: Yellow (medium transmission)
Summit County: Yellow (medium transmission)
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