Lawrence County remains the third highest in the state for the number of new COVID-19 cases, the county health department said this week.

“So far, in the month of August, we have had a total of 519 cases, 22 hospitalizations and four deaths,” the department said in a release on their social media account. “Please do what you can to stop the spread of this disease.”

Masks are recommended indoors or in areas with a high possibility of transmission, they said.

The department hosted two clinics this week at the department, offering first and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine for those 12 years of age and older and doses of the Moderna vaccine and the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

The department has said it anticipates booster shots will be available in Lawrence County in September for those who have gone eight months since their first vaccination.

Statewide, the Ohio Department of Health reported 5,395 new cases of the virus on Thursday and 182 new hospitalizations. There have been 20,729 deaths in the state from the virus to date.

There have been 1,197,873 cases of COVID-19 in Ohio since the pandemic began, with 1,115,261 people listed as recovered.

The state department of health said on Thursday that it highly recommends vaccinations for all eligible students, teachers and staff in the state’s schools. Mask wearing is also recommended.

The department said some hospitals in Ohio are again beginning to cancel elective surgeries as cases rise and urged the public to be vaccinated to curb the spread of the disease.