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Free COVID testing coming soon. Ohio case numbers, how to order tests

Free COVID testing coming soon. Ohio case numbers, how to order tests

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The federal government will offer free COVID-19 testing kits to U.S. households later this month.

Each household can get up to four free tests from the COVIDtest.gov website. Once ordered, the at-home tests will be shipped to your door at no charge. An exact date when Americans can order the COVID-19 tests has not yet been announced.

According to USA TODAY, this is the seventh time in the past three years that the government has provided free testing kits to Americans. In partnership with the U.S. Postal Service, about 900 million home tests have been sent to households across the country.

The tests will also be able to detect the dominant variants currently circulating. These include the subvariant KP.3.1.1, which accounted for nearly 37% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., and KP.3, which accounted for over 16%, according to the CDC.

What are the latest COVID-19 numbers in Ohio?

According to recent figures from DataOhio, the state has recorded 81,791 cases since May 1, 2024. However, the state has been reporting increasing numbers recently (the information is typically updated every Thursday).

Ohio reached its summer peak around late August and early September, reporting 1,994 cases on August 26 and 2,039 on September 3. The Buckeye State, however, reported 1,415 cases on September 10.

Ohio has recorded nearly 82,000 cases statewide since May, with most cases in Franklin, Cuyahoga and Hamilton counties (which include Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati). Cuyahoga reported 9,114 cases, Franklin 9,006 and Hamilton 7,215.

Symptoms of COVID-19

According to the CDC, symptoms may change with new COVID-19 variants and vary depending on vaccination status. Possible symptoms may include:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Sore throat
  • Stuffy or runny nose
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • fatigue
  • Muscle or limb pain
  • Headache
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea

If you feel sick, the CDC recommends staying home and away from other people, getting tested, and seeking treatment from a doctor.

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