Service at Pyramid Hill today in remembrance of locals who died because of COVID-19
May 25—Kettering Health Hamilton will remember, reflect on and recognize those Butler County residents lost to the COVID-19 virus since the onset of the pandemic more than two years ago.
Nearly 38,600 Ohioans have died as a result of the virus, which includes almost 1,160 Butler County residents.
Kettering Health Hamilton is hosting the service at Pyramid Hill, 1763 Hamilton-Cleves Road, where those in attendance can pay tribute to loved ones by signing their names on a butterfly that will be attached to a memorial wall. The memorial wall will later be displayed at Kettering Health Hamilton.
"At nearly 2 and a half years of pandemic response, it's important to pause and reflect on all of the ways COVID-19 has taken tolls on the community, including those we've lost," said Butler County Health Commissioner Erik Balster. "We can take some solace in knowing that we are now at a place in the pandemic where we have proven interventions ― such as vaccines, therapeutics, and advanced knowledge ― that will aid us in further prevention of the unfortunate losses we saw earlier in the pandemic."
Butler County is in a high transmission category for the virus — the first time the county had been in this category since February.
The seven-day case rate is at 101.4 per 100,000 residents, and the positivity rate is above 10%.
It is still estimated that the vast majority of cases are going unreported, according to the Butler County General Health District's latest COVID-19 report.
Transmission levels are not actionable indicators for the general public and most institutions, but they are for healthcare facilities, according to the county COVID-19 report. The community level, which are the guidelines for the general public, remains at a low level because the community indicator puts far more emphasis on hospitalizations and utilization of healthcare resources as a measurement of the true burden of COVID-19 on the community, according to the county health department.
Reports coming into the health department, hospitalizations remain stable at a relatively low weekly rate, and the last reported Butler County death was recorded on April 29, according to the state health department.
So far in 2022, more than 6,700 Ohio residents have died as a result of the COVID0-19 virus, which includes more than 200 Butler Cunty residents, according to the Ohio Department of Health. Since the onset of the pandemic, 38,590 Ohioans (including 1,158 Butler County residents) have died due to the virus, according to the state.
Kettering Health Hamilton President Paul Hoover will speak at today's remembrance set for 6:30 p.m.
More than 7.3 million Ohioans, which includes more than 232,000 Butler County residents, have started the COVID-19 vaccination process. More than 6.8 million statewide, and more than 216,000 in the county have completed the initial inoculation process.
There are two booster shots available, and 3.57 million Ohioans and 104,797 Butler County residents, have received the first booster shot.
Masks will not be required as it will be an outdoor event, according to hospital officials.
------
IF YOU GO
What: Kettering Health Hamilton hosts a service of remembrance for those lost to COVID-19 in Hamilton and Butler County.
Speaker: Kettering Health Hamilton President Paul Hoover
When: 6:30 p.m. today
Where: Pyramid Hill, 1763 Hamilton-Cleves Road, Hamilton
COVID-19 FACTS & FIGURES
Here is a yearly breakdown of COVID-19-related deaths since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020:
2020: 13,621 in Ohio, 402 in Butler County
2021: 18,266 in Ohio, 554 in Butler County
2022: 6,703 (through May 11) in Ohio, 402 (through April 29) in Butler County
Source: Ohio Department of Health
