State, Payne County see dramatic drop in active COVID-19 cases
May 6—The Oklahoma Health Department's COVID-19 reporting shows a massive drop in active COVID-19 cases.
The OSDH COVID-19 dashboard shows 2,354 active cases for the entire state — with a deduction of 8,042 cases from last week.
The big drop in numbers is reflected locally as well. Subtracting deaths and recoveries from the total case count puts Payne County at just 24. For Stillwater, it would be 17. Cushing would be the next highest at 6. Yale shows 1 active case. Perkins, Glencoe and Ripley all show zero.
Gov. Kevin Stitt has removed the state's emergency order, which will also affect COVID-19 report, according to OSDH.
"Moving forward, OSDH will change how some COVID-19 data is reported and tracked, as the agency's authority to require providers to report certain data expires along with the Executive Order," according to an OSDH press release.
OSDH will no longer release a daily Executive Order Report. The Situation Update, released daily, will still include new cases and seven-day average, current hospitalized and ICU numbers from HHS and "if needed," reports on positivity with positive and negative test results, according to OSDH.
"Through vaccine distribution and the hard work of Oklahomans across the state, we've reached a place where cases are continuing to decline and the spread of COVID-19 is beginning to slow. With case numbers and hospitalizations at a sustained and consistently manageable level, we're approaching the 'new normal' that we've been working toward for so long," Commissioner of Health Dr. Lance Frye said in the release. "However, we're not ready to take a victory lap just yet. While we are coming out of the state of emergency, there's still work to be done to protect ourselves and others from spreading COVID-19, including new variants. I urge all Oklahomans to keep following the three W's (wear a mask, wash your hands, watch your distance) in public spaces and exercising caution as we work to vaccinate more people."
Earlier this week, Mayor Will Joyce, posted on social media that Gov. Stitt's new orders will not change the city's own mask mandate or the mayor's emergency proclamation, which expire near the end of the month.
"I am thankful that we live in a state that values local control and allows municipalities substantial leeway to determine what's best for their local circumstances," Joyce wrote. "We have seen the value of local control throughout the pandemic, in that we have not had to rely on the Governor or the state legislature to institute mask requirements or to take other public health precautions. I believe that our city has fared better because of the local decisions made by the City Council, the SPS and Meridian school boards, and the OSU administration."
