COLUMBUS, Ohio -  Three communities lead the Valley when it comes to new per capita cases of COVID-19.

The latest information from the Ohio Department of Health shows that the 44452 North Lima zip code area recorded only 34 confirmed coronavirus cases over the past two weeks.  However, that number translates to 987 per 100,000 population. That is the highest per capita rate of any zip code in the Valley.

The second highest per capita rate in the Valley is in the 44410-zip code around Cortland, where 159 cases confirmed over two weeks amounted to 952 cases per 100,000 population.

The per capita rate of 885 in the Downtown Youngstown 44503 zip code is the third highest in the Valley.

During his bi-weekly press briefing on Thursday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine suggested that people watch new cases' per capita rate.

Mercer County, Ohio, has the highest rate, 1,263 cases per 100,000 residents.

The per capita rate is one of seven measures the Ohio Department of Health uses to determine yellow, orange, red, or purple levels.