State coronavirus cases soar to one-day record increase

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — There is a one-day record increase of more than 1,800 newly reported coronavirus cases in Oklahoma, a day after Gov. Kevin Stitt extended a state of emergency because of the pandemic.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health on Saturday reported 1,829 new cases and a total of 115,685 cases since the start of the pandemic. Stitt on Friday extended for another 30 days the emergency order he first issued on March 15th.

The health department reported 924 people hospitalized due the virus, down slightly from a record high of 956 hospitalizations on Friday. An additional 11 people have died from the illness caused by the virus to bring the death toll for the state to 1,245.