County, State Numbers Updated

Image
Body

When the Oklahoma State Department of Health issued the statistics on the Covid-19 virus on June 16, it noted 8,745 cases of the illness in the state. That is up 228 cases from the last report. Recoveries are at 6,765. There were four additional deaths recorded, all between June 6-14, with the death toll at 363.  The OSDH website that updates case numbers was down on June 17, so no new numbers were available.

Blaine County shows 11 cases and 9 recoveries.  Cases are five in Watonga, four recovered, three in Geary, all recovered, two in Longdale, one recovered, and one in Okeene, recovered. 

The reopening plan for the state allows visitation to care facilities to begin today, with limitations. The facility must have an updated infection control plan before visitors are admitted and each facility may have other requirements in place. In order to be sure, contact the facility before planning any visits.

Nationally, there have been 2,114,026 confirmed cases of the Covid-19 virus, up 19,968 from the previous report. Some 116,127 deaths from the disease have been reported, up 395 from previous reports. Recoveries are up 14,518 from the last statistical report, to 576,334.

As the state reopens slowly, the number of Oklahomans receiving unemployment benefits has decreased slightly according to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission in its June 11 report. New claims were down this week as well. The trend is reflected nationally with the Labor Department noting half a million Americans exiting the unemployment system. The national unemployment rate is slightly over 13.3%. It was at 3.5% in December 2019, climbed to an April high of 14.7 and is declining as businesses reopen and call workers back or hire new employees.

The Oklahoma rate is 13.7% for April 2020, up from the state’s usual rate which generally hovers in the 3.2% range.