County COVID cases double, state sees four-fold increase in most recent report

Marion County Update

Marion County’s COVID numbers more than doubled from two weeks ago, as the county registered 363 new cases during the week of Dec. 17-23 according to figures released by the Florida Department of Health Friday evening, the highest in almost three months.  The county reported recording 179 cases two weeks ago and 427 cases during the first week in October.

Along with the overall number of cases, the county’s positivity rate and cases per 100,000 also rose. The positivity rate climbed from 3.3% to 5.0%, and as with the total number of cases, the cases per 100,000 more than doubled as well, from 48.1 to 97.5.

In Health and Human Services hospitalization numbers last updated Dec. 24, county hospitals reported 82% of inpatient beds filled, with 2% of those being COVID patients.  Additionally, 89% of ICU beds were filled, with 4% being COVID patients.

COVID Test FL is offering testing in Ocala at the Ocala First Baptist Church located at 2801 S.E. Maricamp Road. COVID Test Express is offering testing in the Villages at 11714 N.E. 62nd Terrace. Both locations are open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

 State Update

Not only did new COVID cases double in Marion County, but they also rose drastically across the state as a whole, with Florida seeing more than four times the number of new cases as it reported two weeks ago.

The state recorded 125,201 new cases of COVID during the week of Dec. 17 to Dec. 23, up almost 100,000 new cases from the 29,568 reported during the week of Dec. 10 to Dec. 16.

That number is the highest number of cases reported statewide since the week of Aug. 27 to Sept. 2, when the state recorded 129,240 new cases.

Across the state, vaccines numbers rose once again in children ages 5-11, something that’s happened every week since vaccines became available.  The state reported 234,501 doses of the vaccine were administered last week compared to the 211,320 doses given two weeks ago. The total population of children ages 5-11 in the state is just under 1.7 million, and figures released by the state showed 14% of them are now vaccinated against COVID-19.

The state’s overall vaccination rates held steady from the previous report, as the state recorded administering 506,608 doses during the week of Dec. 17 to Dec. 23, bringing the population of the state vaccinated to 71% of those ages 5 and up.

MCPS Update

Marion County Public Schools are closed for winter break until January 3, 2022.  No COVID updates have been posted to their website since the beginning of their break.