County, MCPS COVID numbers decrease, state sees increase overall
Marion County Update
Marion County’s COVID numbers slightly declined last week as the county registered 146 new cases according to figures released by the Florida Department of Health Friday evening, down from the 165 cases reported two weeks ago.
The county’s positivity rate and cases per 100,000 dropped along with the overall number of cases. The positivity rate fell from 3.0% to 2.4%, and the cases per 100,000 declined from 44.3 to 39.2.
No recent hospitalization numbers are available as Health and Human Services data has not been updated since Dec. 3.
COVID Test FL is offering testing in Ocala at the Ocala First Baptist Church located at 2801 SE Maricamp Road. COVID Test Express is offering testing in the Villages at 11714 NE 62nd Terrace. Both locations are open Monday-Friday 8 am-4 pm.
State Update
While cases dropped locally in Marion County, they rose across the state as a whole, as the State of Florida recorded 13,530 during the week of Dec. 3 to Dec. 9. That number is the highest number of cases reported statewide since Oct. 15, and up from 10,892 new cases of COVID-19 during the week of Nov. 26 to Dec. 2.
Statewide, vaccines numbers have risen in children ages 5-11 since vaccines became available, as the state reported 185,556 doses of the vaccine were administered last week compared to the 162,542 doses given two weeks ago. The total population of children ages 5-11 in the state is just under 1.7 million, and figures showed 11% of them are now vaccinated against COVID-19.
The state’s overall vaccination rates fell slightly, as the state recorded administering 528,287 doses during the week of Dec. 3 to Dec. 9, bringing the population of the state vaccinated to 70% of those ages 5 and up.
MCPS Update
Marion County Public Schools recorded 10 cases for the week of Dec. 4– Dec. 10, with nine students and one employee, were confirmed COVID-19 positive by the Florida Department of Health in Marion County in figures released on Monday morning.
Additionally, MCPS reported 55 students, and no employees were quarantined due to direct contact with someone testing positive for COVID-19.
MCPS previously recorded 17 cases (13 students, four employees) and 57 quarantines (55 students, two employees) from Nov. 20 through Dec. 3.
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