Ohio Department of Health

As concern about COVID-19 variants increases, Northeast Ohio hospitals and emergency rooms are reaching capacity, health officials said Wednesday.

The Ohio Department of Health continues to urge vaccinations for COVID, while Republican lawmakers and elected officials push back on vaccine mandates.

Numbers from the Ohio Dept. of Health show a big difference between unvaccinated and vaccinated Ohioans when it comes to hospitalization and deaths

And this comes after cases in the Buckeye state had plateaued and appeared to be waning a couple of weeks ago.

New dollars in the state's two-year budget allow that expansion.

The Ohio Health Department has issued new guidelines for what to do if a student comes in contact with someone who’s tested positive for COVID; Ohio’s top lawyer has filed suit against the Biden administration over a rule allowing family planning clinics that provide abortion referrals to receive federal funds; a city council in a Cincinnati suburb has voted to ban abortion; and more stories.

Approval of the vaccine for kids ages five to 11 is expected soon.

COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are soaring due to the highly contagious delta variant, and the rise in severe cases is stressing the hospital systems, according to health officials.

Hospitalizations are up, too, and doctors fear some facilities might be nearing capacity soon.

Despite the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Ohio, the masking policies still vary among school districts.