Aug 18, 2025 - Health

Ohio has mostly avoided COVID surge, so far

Troy Smith,
Herb Scribner

Illustration of a location pin with a covid cell in the middle. — Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios

Ohio has one of the lowest rates of COVID cases among states, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.

Why it matters: The "stratus" COVID variant is surging throughout the country, and with kids heading back to school, it's not exactly surprising.

Zoom in: Ohio and other Midwest states had lower rates of COVID test positivity than in the Southwest, per CDC regional data released Aug. 15, which accounts for the week ending Aug. 9.

What's next: Many Ohio schools are just now heading back into session or will in the coming weeks, including several in Northeast Ohio.

How other states fare

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Ohio has mostly avoided COVID surge, so far

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