The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported on Tuesday 1,558 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the state's total to 358,374.
Tulsa County had 380 of Tuesday's cases. Its total now stands at 58,851, second to Oklahoma County's 69,587.
The state's seven-day average of new cases, which shows the trend in infections, fell below 3,000 for the first time since Jan. 1, dropping from 3,081 to 2,988. The record of 4,256 was set last Wednesday. The average had dipped to around 2,600 as reporting lagged around the Christmas and New Year's holidays. Oct. 5 was the last time the seven-day average was below 1,000.
Tulsa County's seven-day average rose from 530 to 536. The record is 647, set Jan. 9.
The state reported 43 deaths. When deaths occurred is not reported. Five deaths were in Tulsa County: two adults 50 to 64 years old, and three women 65 or older.
Since March 18, COVID-19 has officially killed 3,037 Oklahomans, 502 of them Tulsa County residents. Tulsa County is the second in the state to surpass 500 deaths. The state has reported an average of 33.3 deaths over the past seven days, matching the record set Jan. 12.
It took Oklahoma more than six months to report its first 1,000 COVID deaths, two and a half months to report its second 1,000, and less than six weeks to report its third 1,000. Tulsa County's reported deaths have gone from 400 to 500 since Jan. 1.
Updated hospitalization numbers were not reported Monday night because of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. As of Friday, 1,866 Oklahomans were hospitalized for COVID-19, including 429 Tulsa County residents. Statewide, 499 patients were in intensive care units.
Over the course of the pandemic, 20,095 Oklahomans have been hospitalized for COVID-19.
As of Monday, the state reported 5% of its adult ICU beds and 13% of its medical surgery beds were available. As of Friday, seven of Oklahoma's eight hospital regions 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. The northwest region is currently at tier two. The OKC region has ranged from 35% to 37% the past few days after nearing 40% last week. The Tulsa region has hovered around 25% the past few days.
The state health department reported 4,965 additional patients as recovered on Tuesday, bringing the total to 319,201. 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 36,136 active cases of COVID-19, 3,450 fewer than the day before. The record is 43,163, set Jan. 11.
Tulsa County reported 882 additional patients as recovered, bringing the total to 52,274. The county has 6,075 active cases, 507 fewer than the day before. The record is 6,731, set Jan. 11.
Testing data was not reported Monday evening. As of Friday, the state's overall positive test rate was 11.4%.
The state used to report 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 Friday, that rate was 11.8%
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.
