OSDH: Oklahoma sees 1,075 single-day increase in COVID-19 cases; 4 more deaths

ENID, Okla. — More than 1,000 Oklahomans, including the state's governor, were confirmed to have tested positive for COVID-19 in a single day's accounting by the Oklahoma State Department of Health Wednesday.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said Wednesday morning he’s tested positive for the coronavirus and is isolating at home.

Single-day gains in Northwest Oklahoma include six more cases in Enid in Garfield County, four in Kingfisher County, two in Noble County and one in Major County.

Statewide, the number of overall COVID-19 cases increased by 1,075 to 22,813, a 4.9% gain, according to OSDH's daily report, which also announced four more deaths — three men in Creek, Kay and Oklahoma counties and a Tulsa County woman, all in the 65 and older age group.

Cumulative deaths associated with the virus in the state is 432, 1.89% of the total number of cases, according to OSDH. Of those deaths, 80% have been 65 and older, based on OSDH data.

The number of Oklahomans hospitalized increased by 54 to 2,170 overall, according to OSDH on Wednesday. Of those, 638 currently are in hospitals, a single-day increase of 77, with 235, an increase of four compared to Tuesday, in intensive care, based on the OSDH latest Executive Report filed Wednesday night.

In Enid, St. Mary's Regional Medical Center has five patients who have tested positive for COVID-19, a spokeswoman said Wednesday. Integris Bass Baptist Health Center had three patients, with one in ICU, as of Tuesday.

A total of 450,338 specimens have been tested for COVID-19, with 424,512, or 94.3%, negative, according to OSDH data on Wednesday.

State numbers

Active cases in the state topped the 5,000 mark, with an increase of 340 cases compared to Tuesday's numbers. There are now 5,015 active, according to OSDH data, which also shows the number of recovered cases at 17,366, or more than 76 of the overall cases. The number of recoveries since Tuesday was 731, according to OSDH, which defines "recovered" as "currently not hospitalized or deceased and 14 days after onset/report."

An increase among the 18-35 age group continues to lead the increase in numbers, resulting in the average age of those with COVID-19 at 40.8, OSDH data shows. On Wednesday, COVID-19 case increases were 389 in the 18-35 age group, 209 in the 36-49 age group, 186 in the 50-64 age group, 136 each in the 65 and older age group, 121 in the 5-17 age group and 33 in the 0-4 age group.

Cumulative totals as of Wednesday were 476 in the 0-4 age group, 1,713 in the 5-17 age group, 8,318 in the 18-35 age group, 5,011 in the 36-49 age group, 3,992 in the 50-64 age group and 3,302 in the 65 and older age group. There was one case with an age unknown, according to OSDH.

Of those testing positive, 11,614, or 50.91%, have been female, and 11,081 or 48.57%, have been male. There are 118 listed as "unknown" gender, according to OSDH data on Wednesday.

Nursing homes with resident- or staff-related COVID-19 cases have remained light in Northwest Oklahoma, according to OSDH reports, with eight in Enid — three at The Arbors, one of which was reported Tuesday evening in the OSDH's Executive Report; two at The Commons in April; and one at Garland Road Nursing & Rehabilitation, which officials at the facility say subsequently tested negative. Golden Oaks Retirement Community verified July 3 that a contract employee had tested positive for COVID-19, but the facility is not listed on the OSDH report.

Golden Oaks Health Services Administrator Scott Bushong said Wednesday since that time another contract employee has tested positive, and all of the information has been reported to the CDC and the OSDH, following reporting guidelines. He said the facility has been transparent with all of their families who were in contact with the employees and is partnering with St. Mary's for ongoing testing all residents and staff at the facility's nursing center, assisted living and residential care departments.

"No residents here have tested positive," he said. "Our first priority is everybody's safety."

Positive tests in long-term care facilities in the area include one each in Blaine, Woods and Woodward counties, five in Kingfisher County and five at Center of Love in Okarche in Canadian County. There have been two in Major County, including one staff member at Seiling Nursing Center who lived in Major County, tested positive and died in April, according to OSDH data.

Of the overall 432 deaths in the state, 346 or 80.09%, have been 65 and older; 68 or 15.74%, have been in the 50-64 age group; 10, or 2.32%, have been in the 36-49 age group; 7, or 1.62%, have been in the 18-35 age group; and one, or .23%, has been in the 5-17 age group. More men, 225, than women, 207, have succumbed to the virus, according to OSDH on Wednesday. The average age of those who have died is 75.1.

OSDH reports 78.5% of those who have died have had a pre-existing condition. About half of the deaths, 219, have been long-term care or nursing home cases, according to OSDH. There have been 1,176 cases among long-term care residents and 712 cases among staff, according to OSDH's Executive Report filed Wednesday evening.

Data shows deaths in 48 of Oklahoma's 77 counties, with 79 in Tulsa County; 76 in Oklahoma County; 40 in Cleveland County; 39 in Washington County; 19 in Wagoner County; 17 in Delaware County; 14 in Muskogee County; 12 in McCurtain County; 11 in Caddo County; 9 each in Comanche, Creek and Kay counties; 8 in Osage County; 7 each in Greer and Rogers counties; 6 in Texas County; 5 in Grady and Mayes counties; 4 each in Adair, McClain and Pottawatomie counties; 3 each in Canadian, Garvin, Jackson, Pawnee, Pittsburg, Seminole and Sequoyah counties; 2 each in Carter, Cotton, Garfield, Lincoln, Ottawa, Payne and Pontotoc counties; and 1 each in Bryan, Cherokee, Choctaw, Kiowa, Latimer, Leflore, Logan, Major, McIntosh, Noble, Nowata, Stephens and Tillman counties.

Northwest Oklahoma

COVID-19 data released Wednesday for Northwest Oklahoma counties shows Garfield with 138 cases, 95 recovered and two deaths, a woman in the 36-49 age group in June and an 86-year-old from Garfield County in April; Noble with 55 cases, 45 recovered and one death; Kingfisher with 54 cases, 35 recovered; Blaine with 22 cases, 17 recovered; Woodward with 15 cases, 13 recovered; Major with 16 cases, 13 recovered and one death, a woman in 18-35 age group in April; Woods with 11 cases, eight recovered; Grant with three cases, two recovered; and Alfalfa with one recovered case.

Cumulative COVID-19 cases by city or town in Northwest Oklahoma include 130 in Enid (41 active); 22 in Kingfisher (nine active); 14 in Okarche (four active); 13 each in Hennessey (two active), Okarche (four active) and Woodward (two active); 10 in Watonga (two active); nine in Alva (two active); six each in Fairview (one active) and Geary (one active); five in Ringwood (one active); three each in Garber (two active), Lahoma and Longdale (one active); two each in Dover (one active), Freedom (two active), Laverne (one active) and Meno (one active); and one each in Canton (one active), Fort Supply, Hitchcock, Jet, Lamont, Medford, Mooreland, Okeene, Pond Creek (one active) and Waukomis (one active), according to data released by OSDH on Wednesday. Residents living in areas with under 100 in population or those with unknown addresses may be recorded as "other."

In Enid, there have been 66 cases with 49 recovered, from the 73701 Zip Code, primarily the eastern half of the city, and 63 cases with 39 recovered from 73703, or the western half, according to OSDH data on Wednesday. There also has been one recovered case in the 73705 Zip Code, which is listed as Vance Air Force Base at https://www.unitedstateszipcodes.org/.

COVID-19 testing

State Health Department officials are encouraging Oklahomans to get tested for COVID-19, saying recently that due to adequate supplies, residents no longer need to exhibit symptoms or report exposure to someone with the virus to get in line for testing.

Free testing for COVID-19 is ongoing at the Garfield County and other state Health Departments. Testing is by appointment only for Blaine County, 521 W. 4th, Watonga, (580) 623-7977; Garfield County, 2501 S. Mercer, Enid, (580) 233-0650; Grant County, 115 N. Main, Medford, (580) 395-2906; Kingfisher County, 124 E. Sheridan, courthouse annex room #101, Kingfisher, (405) 375-3008; Major County, 501 E. Broadway, Fairview, (580) 227-3362; Noble County, 300 Fir St., Perry, (580) 336-2257; Woods County, 511 Barnes St., Alva, (580) 327-3192; and Woodward County, 1631 Texas Ave., Woodward, (580) 256-6416. For a full list of county drive-through testing, go to https://coronavirus.health.ok.gov/drive-thru-testing. Some health department also advise the public to check their Facebook pages for more information regarding testing.

COVID-19 signs

Emergency warning signs for COVID-19 are trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inability to arouse, bluish lips or face, according to the CDC. More information can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html.

Those with symptoms of COVID-19 should call ahead to local emergency rooms. Those with minor symptoms should contact their regular physicians.

Resources and information on COVID-19 can be obtained by calling 211 or going to https://covidresources.ok.gov/.

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