Ohio reports 778 new coronavirus cases Monday

The number of new coronavirus cases in Ohio increased by 778 on Monday, but the actual increase is likely larger. 

That's because numbers reported early in the week often reflect a lag in results from testing facilities that are not open on weekends. 

A spokesperson for the Ohio Department of Health has told 21 News that's been a trend since the beginning of the pandemic. That trend has become more apparent when looking at new cases in terms of whether they are above or below the 1,000 mark. 

Governor Mike DeWine also has attributed the lower early-week numbers to fewer people seeking medical attention on weekends. 

An indicator that may paint a more reliable picture of the severity of the virus in the Valley, hospitalizations, are well below the 21-day average. The average is 75, but there are only 46 new hospitalizations reported Monday. Across the state, capacity for inpatient beds, ICU beds, and ventilators all remain under the 80 percent threshold that has been cited as a time to become concerned about overwhelming hospitals. 

Deaths, at 17, and new ICU admissions, 1, also both fell below their 21-day averages. 

The median age of new cases now stands at 41, after sitting for weeks at 43, an indication that the spread of the disease is continuing heavily in younger people. 

In the Mahoning Valley, there have been  1,779 cases of the virus in Trumbull county, with 331 hospitalizations and 126 deaths. 

Mahoning county has had 2,901 cases, with 459 hospitalizations and 272 deaths. 

Columbiana county has had 1,870 cases, with 212 hospitalizations and 68 deaths.