COVID numbers keep dropping as country hopes for "endemic" phase

Oklahoma’s coronavirus case numbers are continuing to decline.

The Oklahoma State Health Department reported Monday that the Sooner State had 4,806 active cases, down more than half from the previous week. The number was far from the tallies of more than 100,000 active cases in December and January amid a surge in the omicron variant of the virus.

Since the pandemic began, Oklahoma has had more than 1 million coronavirus cases. Statewide, 14,612 people have died from the virus.

State officials reported Feb. 22 that 2,159,324 Oklahomans, nearly 65% of Oklahomans over the age of 12, were fully vaccinated. More than 789,000 Oklahomans have taken a booster dose.

Kay County has had nearly 12,000 coronavirus cases since the pandemic began in March 2020, the county health department reported Feb. 25. About 53% of all county residents over the age of 5 have had at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

As of Feb. 21, Blackwell had 1,528 cases, with 1,460 recoveries and 42 deaths. Braman had 74 cases, all of which were recoveries. Kaw City had 146 cases, all of which were recoveries.

Newkirk has had 985 cases, with 969 recoveries and 10 deaths. Ponca City has had 8,832 cases, with 8,579 recoveries and 137 deaths. Tonkawa has had 832 cases, with 803 recoveries and 20 deaths.

The state health department does not provide data on coronavirus cases in some of the state’s smallest towns, including Nardin in Kay County.

Vaccinations are available for free at some pharmacies and stores across the county, among other locations.

For more information on vaccinations, or to schedule a vaccine appointment, visit https://oklahoma.gov/covid19/vaccine-information/vaccine-faqs.html.