CLEVELAND, Ohio — Many Northeast Ohio counties — including Cuyahoga — have turned from green to yellow, or designated as having medium COVID-19 transmission on the latest U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention map.
The CDC map updated late each Thursday estimates the risk of COVID-19 infection in U.S. counties.
Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake and Lorain counties are yellow, for medium COVID-19 transmission.
The yellow designation comes with the recommendation from the CDC for people “at high risk for severe illness” to consult their healthcare providers about whether they should wear masks or take other precautions.
Medina, Portage and Summit counties are green, for low transmission.
For two weeks in a row in June, almost all Ohio counties — including Cuyahoga — were green, or designated as having low COVID-19 transmission. But now COVID-19 spread is increasing, according to the CDC map.
Currently two southern Ohio counties — Lawrence and Pike— are designated red.
Statewide, a total of 40 out of Ohio’s 88 counties are designated yellow for medium transmission rates.
Counties are classified as low (green), medium (yellow) or high (red) under the CDC’s system for estimating the risk of COVID-19 infection.
People in counties with high transmission are advised to wear masks indoors, the CDC has said. Counties are considered to have high transmission levels when community coronavirus circulation could overwhelm local hospitals.
The new CDC color-coded designations were introduced on Feb. 25. In early March, all of Ohio’s counties were green or yellow; none were red.
July 1 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: Green (low transmission)
Portage County: Green (low transmission)
Summit County: Green (low transmission)
June 23 Northern Ohio county designations
Ashtabula County: Green (low transmission)
Cuyahoga County: Green (low transmission)
Geauga County: Green (low transmission)
Lake County: Green (low transmission)
Lorain County: Green (low transmission)
Medina County: Green (low transmission)
Portage County: Green (low transmission)
Summit County: Green (low transmission)
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