Marion COVID-19 cases continue freefall

A registered nurse takes out the next syringe of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to give to a person who signed up for an appointment on the first day of COVID-19 vaccinations at the Florida Department of Health Marion County in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021. The Florida Department of Health Marion County has taken 800 appointments for people to receive the COVID-19 vaccination in the next 28 days. This week the Department of Health will be administering vaccines on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. When people return for their second vaccination in 28 days, they will go to Paddock Mall. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.

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Posted September 24, 2021 | By Matthew Cretul, matthew@ocalagazette.com

COVID-19 numbers in Marion County dropped once again, with the county seeing 1,038 new cases this week, down from 1,543 cases the previous week.

The county positivity rate and cases per 100,000 dropped as well. The positivity rate fell from 17.9% to 13.3% and the cases per 100,000 went from 414.3 to 278.7, according to figures released by the Florida Department of Health Friday evening.

The state recorded 56,325 new cases of COVID-19 during the week of Sept. 17 to Sept. 23, its lowest number of new weekly cases in more than two and a half months. Vaccination rates dropped to their lowest levels in two and a half months as well, however, as the state recorded administering 273,756 doses.

While new cases continue to drop, county hospitalization numbers are not declining as quickly. Health and Human Services data shows 94% of all inpatient beds in the county occupied, with COVID-19 patients making up 22% of the inpatient population. Additionally, 96% of all ICU beds are occupied, and COVID-19 patients make up 30% of those in the ICU.

Marion County Public Schools are expected to release their next round of COVID-related data on Monday, Sept. 27.