COVID-19 death rate drops as number of new cases rises

The number of new COVID-19 cases in Ohio rose to 2,216 Wednesday, nearly doubling the numbers from last month. Even as the number of cases rises, the number of people dying from COVID-19 is decreasing.

Today, a local doctor said that a number of factors, including the rise of people receiving the vaccine, are helping lower number of deaths caused by the virus.

Dr. Roberto Colon, Chief Medical Officer at Miami Valley Hospital told News Center 7′s Mike Campbell that he thinks the number of COVID-related deaths has gone down.

“I do think we are seeing fewer deaths due to COVID complications,” Dr. Colon said.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 was listed as the underlying or contributing factor in 378,000 deaths in 2020, causing the total number of deaths to rise almost 16 percent from 2019. This made COVID-19 the third leading cause of death in 2020.

But now with vaccinations on the rise, Dr. Colon said COVID patients that have been hospitalized have experienced less severe symptoms.

“The people at the highest risk here in Ohio were the first targets of the vaccine,” Dr. Colon said.

Dr. Colon said that vaccinations were not the only factor causing the death rate to fall. He said more people who are diagnosed with COVID-19 have sought treatment earlier.

Additionally, Dr. Colon said the people who are contracting the virus are younger and healthier, lowering the potential for bad outcomes.

Cox Media Group