COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The Ohio Department of Health on Thursday reported 8,155 new COVID-19 cases, keeping cases at their recent low levels.

Weekly COVID-19 cases previously fell below 8,000 for the first time since the week of April 15, 2022, when ODH reported just 6,890. The state was quick to bounce back up above 8,000 in the following week but stayed below 10,000. The latest numbers defy trends from the past two years, when COVID-19 infections historically swelled during and after the time period of holiday gatherings. Before cases went into the four-digit range, December's highest weekly amount of new COVID-19 patients reached 17,891.

ODH began reporting COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, deaths and vaccinations weekly instead of daily in mid-March 2022 after new infections slowed to a low level after the omicron wave. Over the past seven days, the state averaged around 1,165 new coronavirus cases per day. The 479 hospitalizations reported by ODH in the past seven days -- about 68 per day -- were a slight increase from the 434 reported last week but stayed below 646 in the week prior.

While hospitalizations were slightly up, COVID-19 deaths decreased in Ohio, albeit slightly. ODH said 106 died from the virus compared to 110 deaths the week prior. The state saw exactly the same amount of deaths -- 106 -- in the week before that.

The drop in COVID-19 cases has also coincided with a decrease in vaccinations. A total of 2,588 Ohioans started the COVID-19 vaccination process in the last seven days, compared to 2,866 in the week prior. Another 2,451 finished vaccination by getting their second dose, down from 2,451. Around six in 10 Ohioans are partially or fully vaccinated.