Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has COVID-19

Gov. Mike DeWine has tested positive for COVID-19 as Ohio contends with a summer surge in cases.

DeWine, 77, took a COVID test early Tuesday after experiencing mild symptoms, including sneezing and a runny nose, that worsened overnight. He’s working from home this week and taking the antiviral drug Paxlovid prescribed by his doctor, according to the governor’s office.

This marks at least the third time that DeWine has come down with COVID-19 since the illness emerged in 2020.

Ohio reported 7,347 cases of COVID-19 last week, a 23% increase from the end of July, according to the state Department of Health. DeWine’s office said cases and wastewater detections have risen since late June. The average number of hospitalizations over the past three weeks sat at 190.