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54 More Oklahomans Reported Dead from COVID-19 as State Breaks 1,800 Deaths and 200,000 Total Cases

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The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported on Wednesday 2,859 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the state's total to 202,341.

It took the state seven months to break 100,000 cases and just over seven weeks to break 200,000.

Tulsa County had 425 of Wednesday's new cases. Its total now stands at 34,288, second to Oklahoma County's 41,494.

The state's seven-day average of new cases, which shows the trend in infections, fell from 2,696 to 2,571. It's the fourth straight day the average has declined. The record is 3,318, set on Thanksgiving Day. Oct. 5 was the last time the seven-day average was below 1,000.

Tulsa County's seven-day average of new cases ticked up after three straight days of declines, rising from 421 to 422. It hit a high of 492 on Saturday.

The state reported 54 deaths, the most to date. All happened between Oct. 24 and Nov. 30, with 37 coming since Thanksgiving. Nine deaths were in Tulsa County: two adults 50 to 64 years old and seven adults 65 or older. Statewide, a Wagoner County man 18 to 35 years old, four other adults 50 to 64 years old and 40 other adults 65 or older were also reported dead.

Since March 18, COVID-19 has officially killed 1,812 Oklahomans, 279 of them in Tulsa County. The state has reported an average of 18.9 deaths over the past seven days, the most to date.

Oklahoma State Health Commissioner Dr. Lance Frye issued a rare statement on Wednesday's report.

"Today’s COVID-19 update is one that I hoped to not have to report," Frye said. "While these numbers never represent a pure one-day increase - as reports of deaths and cases are staggered over multiple days - the case and death growth is still concerning.

We must remember that each count, each case and each infection is a life. These Oklahomans, and the others who passed before them, were our neighbors and loved ones," Frye said.

There were 1,782 Oklahomans hospitalized for COVID-19 on Tuesday evening, 64 more than on Monday and a sixth straight new record. Of those hospitalized Tuesday, 1,673 had positive coronavirus tests. Overall, 475 Oklahomans hospitalized for COVID-19 were in intensive care units, 14 more than on Monday and a new record for the second straight day.

According to the state health department, Tulsa County had 423 residents hospitalized as of Tuesday evening, eight fewer than on Monday's record total.

Over the course of the pandemic, 12,578 Oklahomans have been hospitalized for COVID-19.

As of Tuesday, the state reported 6% of its adult ICU beds and 14% of its medical surgery beds were available. Also as of Tuesday, six of Oklahoma's eight hospital regions, including Tulsa and Oklahoma counties, are at tier three of a four-tier hospital surge plan, meaning 20% to 40% of patients have tested positive for COVID-19 for at least three consecutive days. Only the east central region remains in tier one.

The state health department reported 3,499 additional patients as recovered on Wednesday, bringing the total to 170,905. Patients are considered to have recovered if they did not die, are not currently hospitalized and it has been at least 14 days since their symptoms began. Symptoms have been reported to linger for several weeks for some individuals.

The state has 29,624 active cases of COVID-19, 694 fewer than the day before. The record of 33,844 was set Nov. 23.

Tulsa County reported 579 additional patients as recovered, bringing the total to 29,373. The county has 4,636 active cases, 163 fewer than the day before. The record is 5,078, set Nov. 23.

The state's reported overall positive test rate remained at 9.6% on Tuesday. Out of 20,663 tests reported on Tuesday, 13.7% were positive. Each positive test does not necessarily represent a unique individual.

The state also reports its cumulative positive test rate, a metric used by Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. It is calculated by dividing the number of cases by the number of negative tests plus the number of cases. As of Tuesday, that rate was 9.3%, unchanged from Monday.

Johns Hopkins uses the different rate to compare states that may track testing differently. It notes the ideal way to calculate the positivity rate is dividing the number of people who test positive by the number of people who are tested, which is how Oklahoma's overall rate is calculated.

The World Health Organization's benchmark indicating adequate testing is a 5% positive test rate.

Matt Trotter joined KWGS as a reporter in 2013. Before coming to Public Radio Tulsa, he was the investigative producer at KJRH. His freelance work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times and on MSNBC and CNN.
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