Oklahoma virus cases rise by 1,041; state still in red zone

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma health officials reported 1,302 new cases Friday of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

That raised the state’s total by 1.1% to 121,495 since the outbreak struck at the start of March, the Oklahoma State Department of Health said. That kept Oklahoma in the COVID-19 “red zone,” Johns Hopkins University reported.

Of those cases, 15,032 are active, an increase of 64 from Thursday. Of those active cases, 865 have required hospitalization, down by 20 from Wednesday and by 91 from the record high set Oct. 23, state health officials said.

However, the true number of cases in Oklahoma is likely higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick.

Twenty COVID-19 patients died since Thursday, raising the Oklahoma toll for the outbreak to 1,326.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and a cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.