The Ohio Department of Health says the number of infant deaths decreased from 2016 to 2017, but deaths among black infants increased.
982 infant deaths were recorded last year, down by 42 from the previous year. But the number of black infant deaths rose by 15. They died at nearly three times the rate of white infants. Last year marked the second time Ohio had fewer than 1 thousand deaths in a year since the state began tracking it in 1939.
