Weekly update: Marion’s COVID numbers fall once again

Katlyn McNeal, a registered nurse from the Heart of Florida Health Center, right, gives Rebecca McCants her second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine during a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the New St. John Baptist Church on Northwest Second Street in Ocala, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.

Marion County’s COVID numbers fell last week. The county registered 427 new cases, according to figures released by the Florida Department of Health Friday evening, down from 614 cases the previous week and the lowest number of reported cases since the week ending Jul 8.

The county positivity rate and cases per 100,000 fell as well. The positivity rate dropped from 9.1% to 6.9% and the cases per 100,000 went from 164.8 to 114.6.

The state as a whole recorded 25,792 new cases of COVID-19 during the week of Oct 1 to Oct 7, its lowest number of new weekly cases in more than four months. Vaccination rates dropped to their lowest levels in three months, however, as the state recorded administering 311,720 doses.

Overall, county hospitalization numbers dropped along with the number of cases.

Health and Human Services data show 88% of all inpatient beds in the county are occupied, with COVID-19 patients making up 12% of the inpatient population.

Additionally, ICU numbers dropped significantly, with 90% of all ICU beds are occupied, and COVID-19 patients make up 12% of those in the ICU. Last week, 98% of all ICU beds were occupied, and COVID-19 patients made up 27% of those in the ICU.

Marion County Public Schools release their next round of COVID-related data on Monday, Oct. 11.