New COVID cases in Marion County decline overall, MCPS, hospitals see another increase in numbers

A member of the Region 3 Incident Management Team draws the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine into a syringe inside the Marion County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management Mobile Command Center at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management COVID-19 drive-thru vaccination site at the Florida Agriculture Center and Horse Park south of Ocala, Fla. on Wednesday, April 7, 2021. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.

Cases down in Marion, around the state, but hospitalizations and MCPS numbers see uptick

Marion County Update

COVID cases in Marion County saw their first decline since early December as the county registered

4,696 new cases during the week of Jan. 14-Jan. 20, according to figures released by the Florida Department of Health (FLDOH) Friday evening.  In previous reports, the county reported recording

5,536 new cases two weeks ago, and 3,130 cases during the week of Dec. 31-Jan. 6.

Along with the number of new cases, the county’s cases per 100,000 fell as well, from 1,486.3 to 1,260.8.

While the number of new cases and the cases per 100,000 both fell, the county’s positivity rate rose slightly from 31.3% to 33.3%.

Despite the drop in the number of cases, local hospitalizations have steadily risen over the past few weeks.

In Health and Human Services (HHS) hospitalization numbers last updated Jan. 21, county hospitals reported 90% of inpatient beds filled, with 18% being COVID patients. In addition, 86% of ICU beds were filled, with 22% being COVID patients.

For reference, on Jan. 7, HHS data showed 83% of inpatient beds filled, with 4% of those being COVID patients; and 84% of ICU beds filled, with 6% being COVID patients.

In Ocala, COVID Test FL is offering testing 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.

Currently, wait times average about 30 minutes for testing at the Ocala location, where they are administering more than 400 tests a day.

 State Update

Not only did new COVID cases fall in Marion County, but they also fell across the state altogether.

Florida recorded 289,204 cases for the week of Jan. 14-Jan. 22, the lowest number of reported cases since the week of Dec. 17, 2021.  Comparatively, the state reported 430,095 new cases for the week of Jan. 7-13, compared with 396,189 new cases of COVID during the week of Dec. 31-Jan. 06, and 297,812 cases during the week of Dec. 24-30.

To go with the decrease in cases, the state’s cases per 100,000 average and new case positivity both dropped as well.  Cases per 100,000 fell from 1,958.1 to 1,316.1, and new case positivity from 31.3% to 26.8%.

The state’s overall vaccination rates also fell to their lowest number in more than 10 weeks, as the state recorded administering 208,805 doses of the vaccine last week compared with the 370,980 doses two weeks ago and 351,448 doses three weeks ago.  This brings the total state population of those ages 5 and up to 73%, up a percentage point from the previous report.

Specific to children ages 5-11, the state reported administering 15,684 doses of the vaccine last week, bringing the total number of children at least partly vaccinated to 322,987. The total population of children ages 5-11 in the state is just under 1.7 million, and figures released by the state showed 19% of them are now vaccinated against COVID-19.

According to a News Service of Florida report, the state will drop its appeal regarding a federal COVID-19 vaccination requirement for healthcare workers after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the requirement.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office filed a motion Friday to dismiss an appeal filed after a federal judge refused to block the vaccine requirements for those working in nursing homes and hospitals, among other healthcare workers.

The requirements, which take effect this week, only apply to providers who work with patients through Medicaid and Medicare.

To be compliant, healthcare workers will need to have at least one dose of the vaccine or have pending requests for exemptions. While only one shot is required when the mandate takes effect, the healthcare workers will need to be fully vaccinated in a month to stay in compliance.

MCPS Update

Marion County Public Schools (MCPS) reported 1,014 cases for the week of Jan. 15-Jan. 21, with 830 students and 184 employees confirmed COVID-19 positive by the Florida Department of Health in Marion County in figures released on Monday afternoon.

Additionally, MCPS reported 1,761 students and 82 employees had been identified as direct contacts to a COVID-positive case confirmed by DOH.

In the preceding report for the week of Jan. 8-14, MCPS reported 870 confirmed cases, with 698 students and 172 employees confirmed COVID-19 positive.  Further, 2,090 students and 129 employees were quarantined due to direct contact with someone testing positive for COVID-19 during that span.

The county’s COVID numbers continue to remain above the threshold set by FLDOH for MCPS to consider having students wear face coverings.

According to FLDOH guidance, the county must be below 99.9 cases per 100,000 (currently at 1,486.3) and the new case positivity must remain below 10% (currently at 31.3%) for two weeks in order for coverings not to be required.