COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The Ohio Department of Health on Thursday reported 8,731 new COVID-19 cases for the past week, an increase of nearly 2,000 over last week, as the state sees its fourth consecutive rise in infections.

Ohio averaged about 1,247 new coronavirus cases over the past seven days, the highest rate since Feb. 25 Cases are up 27% over last week, 82% over two weeks ago and 181% over a month ago.

Despite April’s uptick in cases, however, the number of new infections are a far cry from the heights of winter’s omicron variant wave. State and local health authorities are also not surprised by the recent increase, telling NBC4 on Monday it’s part of the ebb and flow of a disease going from pandemic to endemic.

ODH began reporting cases weekly instead of daily in mid-March after new infections slowed to a low level after the omicron wave.

Hospitalization, death and vaccine reporting are also weekly now. The 314 hospitalizations reported by ODH in the past seven days (about 45 per day) are down from 428 last week.

68 more Ohioans died of COVID-19 in the past week, a decline from 94 deaths last week, 100 deaths two weeks ago and 124 deaths three weeks ago. 68 deaths are the fewest reported in a week since Ohio reported 58 one week in early August.

6,755 Ohioans started the COVID-19 vaccination process in the past seven days, per ODH data. Another 7,621 finished vaccination by getting their second dose. Around 6 in 10 Ohioans are partially or fully vaccinated.