The number of active cases of COVID-19 in Oklahoma has fallen 30 percent since the start of September with much of the decline recorded in the last nine days.

According to data released by the Oklahoma State Department of Health, as of Sept. 22 there were 15,616 active cases of COVID-19 in Oklahoma. That’s a decline of 30 percent from 22,432 active cases on Sept. 1.

For just over a week, active cases have been on a steady downward trend. On Sept. 13, there were 20,388 active cases in Oklahoma. The number of active cases has experienced a net increase on only one day of reporting since then with active cases otherwise declining every day.

Between Aug. 23 and Sept. 22, the number of active cases in Oklahoma has never exceeded 23,582, which represents sixth-tenths of 1 percent of the state population. The number of active COVID cases reported on Sept. 22 represents four-tenths of 1 percent of the state population.

State data also indicate a substantial share of Oklahomans now have some form of immunity to the virus via either vaccination or prior infection.

According to the most recent state Weekly Epidemiology and Surveillance Report, which covers Sept. 12 to Sept. 18, the share of Oklahomans age 18 and older who have received at least one dose of vaccination has reached nearly 69 percent (and 90 percent of those age 65 and older). The report showed that almost 58 percent of Oklahomans who are 18 or older are considered fully vaccinated.

In addition, 569,264 Oklahomans have had COVID-19 and recovered, which confers a level of immunity to future infection that is understood to generally be as good as or even better than what is conferred through vaccination. While some Oklahomans have recovered from COVID-19 and have also been vaccinated, many of those who remain unvaccinated nonetheless have immunity due to prior infection and recovery.