The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported 1,249 new COVID-19 cases and nine more deaths from the virus.
Friday’s reporting is the second-highest daily increase in new cases since the pandemic began; the infection count rose by 1,401 on July 27.
The death toll in the state is 939, with 74,567 cases confirmed since March.
Tulsa County saw 140 new cases to bring the county’s seven-day average to 129. One of Friday’s reported deaths was in Tulsa County, a man in the 50-64 age group.
Payne and Sequoyah counties both reported the deaths of one man over 65 each. Grady, Harper, LeFlore and Oklahoma counties also reported deaths.
The statewide rolling seven-day average is now 989, with 516 patients hospitalized with suspected or confirmed cases in a survey of facilities across the state.
In a news conference Thursday Gov. Kevin Stitt pointed out that active cases are a helpful measurement of the virus’s course in the state; cases are considered active until 14 days following a positive test. With 10,493 active cases reported Friday, the percentage of active infections remains 14% after hovering around that figure the past several weeks.
Hospitalizations have also been cited by state and local officials as a key metric for COVID-19 response. The figure is on the decline after reaching a peak for Tulsa County residents, with 248 reported Sept. 13, though the local data reported each day often is later revised.
Statewide, hospitalizations are still up from the past two Fridays after the July 29 peak of 647.
COVID-19 by the numbers
The novel coronavirus has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. The data below is current as of 11 a.m. Friday.