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COVID-19 cases on the rise in Northeast Ohio despite vaccine efforts

Despite the fact that more than 77 million Americans have been vaccinated, the CDC says it found 5,800 'breakthrough' cases, including 154 in Ohio.

CLEVELAND — Is the Michigan surge to blame for the increase in COVID-19 cases in Northern Ohio. Perhaps it's one reason, but not the only one.

“There are fewer people getting tested, which causes us to be flying blind, perhaps more people are getting lax on the prevention methods and we’re seeing the more contagious variants,” says Cuyahoga County Health Commissioner, Terry Allan.

Those variants are also putting more unvaccinated patients into hospital beds too.

“The patients we’re seeing are younger, even in their 30s,” says Dr. Robyn Strosaker of University Hospitals.

More than 77 million Americans have been vaccinated and the CDC says it found 5,800 breakthrough cases, including 154 in Ohio. That's less than one percent. 

There is no vaccine that's one hundred percent effective.

In an emailed statement to NBC, a CDC spokesperson said the majority of people with breakthrough infections were not hospitalized, and 29 percent had no symptoms.

65% of the cases were in women, and just over 40% were in people ages 60 and up. Seven percent of people were hospitalized, and 74 people died. There were 14 hospitalizations in Ohio and no deaths.

The CDC plans to start publishing data on breakthrough infections this Monday.

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Editor's Note: The below video features reporting from a previous story

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