OKEECHOBEE — A seventh COVID-19-related death was reported for Okeechobee County by the Florida Department of Health on Aug. 6. The latest fatality is an 83-year-old woman whose positive test was reported July 16.

According to the FDOH report, since March, Okeechobee County has had 985 residents and four nonresidents test positive. Okeechobee County has had 6,401 tests for a 15.5% positive rate.

Since testing began, 90 Okeechobee County residents and two nonresidents have been hospitalized.

As of Aug. 6, the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) reported 13 COVID-19 positive Okeechobee County residents are currently hospitalized. Okeechobee County does not have any ICU beds open, but larger hospitals in neighboring counties do have capacity: Highlands County, six open ICU beds (18.8%); Martin County, 32 open ICU beds (82.1%); Palm Beach County, 95 open ICU beds (22.9%); and, St. Lucie County, 15 open ICU beds (16.7%).

Statewide 11.9% of ICU beds (952 beds) were open as of Aug. 6, according to AHCA. Over the past month, that number has ranged between 900 and 1,400 open ICU beds.

Other COVID-19 deaths in Okeechobee County reported by FDOH include:
• 65-year-old female, positive test reported June 22;
• 93-year-old male, positive test reported June 26;
• 70-yer-old male, positive test reported June 26;
• 60-year-old male, positive test reported July 6;

• 93-year-old male, positive test reported July 9;
• 78-year-old female, positive test reported July 17.