COVID-19 in Marion County: 2,172 new cases reported in 2 weeks, up 13.9% since June 30

[Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the total number of reported COVID-19 cases in Marion County.]

The number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in Marion County, with 2,172 new cases reported for the two-week period ending July 14, according to the Florida Department of Health's bi-weekly report, issued Friday.

That number, a total accumulated from July 1-14, is up from 1,907 reported from June 17-30, 1,573 for June 3-16, 1,146 for May 20-June 2, and 713 reported for May 6-19.

That means the number of new cases has nearly doubled from the June 2 report to the July 15 report.

Marion's one-week record for cases was 5,336 cases, or 462 cases per day, for the week of Jan. 7-13. Marion County registered 155 cases per day in the past two weeks, far below that peak.

Summer threat: COVID-19 in Marion County: Cases up 37.3% in two weeks, though far below record in January

On the rise: Cases rising, though far below all-time high in January

March low: Marion County COVID-19 community level drops to low; state switches to biweekly reporting

There have been 25 new deaths reported since the June 16 report. Reported deaths were 0.65 per day for 43 days from April 26 through June 7, 0.93 per day from June 8-16, and 0.89 deaths per day from June 17-July 14.

In all, Marion County now has recorded 91,631 COVID-19 infections since the pandemic began in March 2020. There have been 2,157 deaths.

Another indicator that the latest COVID-19 variant, called Omicron subvariant BA.2, is spreading rapidly, is hospitalizations.

89 people were hospitalized in one week, up from 47 on June 21

On Friday, 89 people had been hospitalized with COVID-19 in the past week, compared with 47 weekly hospitalizations on June 21, 44 on June 7 and 29 on June 1. The record was 350 weekly hospitalizations recorded during last fall's Delta variant.

As of July 15, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports Marion County’s community transmission risk as high, up from medium six weeks ago.

“The new report clearly shows that COVID-19 still infects a significant portion of our community,” said Sherry Duncan, assistant director of the Department of Health in Marion County, in a press release early this month.

“We continue to emphasize that good personal hygiene, beginning with hand-washing, and staying home if you are sick are important to slowing the spread of the virus.," Duncan noted. "We also recommend that our residents take any other precautions they believe are necessary to maintain their own good health.”

Meanwhile, the seven-day positivity rate is also increasing. The seven-day positivity rate for Marion County was listed on Friday at 25.57%, up from 19.6% on June 21, 16.9% on June 8, 14.3% on June 1, and 6.3% on May 2, according to the CDC.

Local vaccine statistics

July 15 data shows that 238,306 Marion County residents have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, up 778 when compared to June 21. Of those, 100,266 had both shots and a booster, 946 more than on June 21, according to state data.

The CDC report shows that on July 15, 74.8% of Marion residents ages 18 and older have had at least one dose of the vaccine, while 72.9% of Marion residents ages 12 and older, and 68.5% of residents ages 5 and older have had at least one dose.

Meanwhile, 92.3% of residents ages 65 and older have had at least one dose as of June 21. The data shows that 65.2% of Marion's entire population has had at least one dose.

— Contact Joe Callahan at (352) 817-1750 or at joe.callahan@starbanner.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoeOcalaNews.

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: COVID-19 cases still rising in Marion County, Florida