Florida COVID weekly update: New cases, hospitalizations continue trending down
What is the COVID-19 situation like in Florida?
In the past seven days, the state has added 3,933 cases and 51 deaths per day, on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of data published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Over the past three weeks, on average, 153 fewer cases were logged each day across the state, showing a decrease in new cases.
As of Tuesday, Sept. 13, more than 14,648,760 people are fully vaccinated in Florida. The state has logged at least 7,078,943 cases and 80,564 deaths since the pandemic began in March 2020.
The number of cases is likely an undercount due to positive results from at-home COVID testing. The state only tracks resident cases and deaths, excluding nonresidents.
Also, total hospitalizations have dipped to levels not seen since early June, and continue to go down.
Here’s a breakdown of what to know this week:
Tracking COVID variants
The two omicron subvariants, BA.4.6 and BA.5, are spreading throughout the United States. They were first detected in South Africa earlier this year.
From Sept. 4 to Sept. 10, the BA.5 strain remained the most dominant strain in the United States, accounting for 87.5% of cases. The BA.4.6 variant remained the second most dominant strain, accounting for 9.2% of cases, according to CDC data.
In the first week of May, the BA.5 variant accounted for only about 1% of new COVID cases.
In the Southeast region, which includes Florida, BA.5 accounted for 85% of cases in the area and BA.4.6 accounted for 11.9%, the most dominant strain and second most.
READ MORE: ‘We should definitely be concerned.’ Miami-Dade’s COVID-19 cases, positivity rates soar
COVID spread in South Florida
Miami-Dade is at a high COVID-19 risk level, according to the CDC. Under the high-risk level, the CDC recommends everyone wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status.
If you are immunocompromised or at a high risk for severe disease, the CDC recommends wearing a mask as well as avoiding “nonessential” indoor activities in public.
In the last week, Manatee County lowered to a medium COVID-19 risk level. Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe remained at the medium level.
At this level, masks aren’t recommended and the CDC advises that those who are at high risk for severe illness should ask their doctor about masks.
READ MORE: Miami-Dade’s COVID-19 cases, positivity rates soar
South Florida and Manatee County COVID-19 Cases
In the period from Sept. 1 to Sept. 8, Florida has seen 38,871 new cases, according to Miami Herald calculations of the CDC’s Community Profile Report published Friday.
Here’s a breakdown of the new COVID cases in South Florida and Manatee County, according to the report.
▪ Miami-Dade reported 7,376 new resident cases in the week ending Sept. 8, reaching a total of 1,445,475. Cases added were 5% fewer than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing decreased by 7.56%.
▪ Broward reported 3,240 new resident cases, reaching a total of 726,456. Cases added were 11.57% fewer than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing decreased by 16.05%.
▪ Palm Beach reported 2,509 new resident cases, reaching a total of 446,719. Cases added were 6.76% fewer than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing decreased by 15.96%.
▪ Monroe reported 41 new resident cases, reaching a total of 21,673. Cases added were 62.73% fewer than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing decreased by 16.27%.
▪ Manatee reported 606 new resident cases, reaching a total of 115,874. Cases added were 2.19% fewer than those added in the previous week and COVID-19 testing decreased by 16.61%.
South Florida and Manatee County COVID deaths
Florida has added 458 deaths in the past week, according to Miami Herald calculations of the CDC’s Friday Community Profile Report.
It is unclear when these newly reported deaths occurred. The Community Profile Report updates Florida’s county tolls and rates about once every seven days.
As of Friday’s Community Profile Report, Florida had a rate of 374 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people since the start of the pandemic.
Here’s where death rates and tolls stand in South Florida and Manatee County, according to the CDC:
▪ Miami-Dade’s death toll is 11,648, an increase of 34 deaths from Friday’s report. That’s a rate of 429 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people since the beginning of the pandemic.
▪ Broward’s death toll is 6,307, an increase of 29. That’s a rate of 323 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people.
▪ Palm Beach’s death toll is 5,545, an increase of 53. That’s a rate of 370 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people.
▪ Monroe’s death toll is 129, an increase of two. The county would be at a death rate of 174 deaths per 100,000 people if its population were that large.
▪ Manatee’s death toll is 1,576, an increase of 10. Manatee has a rate of 391 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people.
Florida COVID-19 hospitalizations
There were 2,585 people hospitalized in Florida, with 276 in the ICU, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services report on Tuesday.
Over the past three weeks, on average, 46 fewer people were hospitalized each day in Florida, showing a decrease in seven-day average hospital trends.
At that same time, on average, seven fewer people were in the ICU with COVID each day in Florida, another increase in trends.
During omicron’s January peak, more than 15,000 patients were hospitalized in Florida, according to HHS data.
Florida COVID-19 vaccinations
About 14,648,767 eligible Floridians — 68.2% of the state’s population — have completed the two-dose series of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines or have completed Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine, according to the CDC.
About 6,219,011 Floridians have received a booster, about 42.5% of the state’s fully vaccinated population.
Here’s how many people have received a booster in South Florida and Manatee County, according to the CDC:
▪ In Miami-Dade, about 832,296 people, or 35.3% of the fully vaccinated population, have received a booster.
▪ In Broward, about 586,540 people have received a booster, or 41.4% of the fully vaccinated population.
▪ In Palm Beach, about 457,419 people have received a booster, or 45.3% of the fully vaccinated population.
▪ In Monroe, about 23,987 people have received a booster, or 40.6% of the fully vaccinated population.
▪ In Manatee, about 118,132 people have received a booster, or 46.4% of the fully vaccinated population.
This story was originally published September 13, 2022 at 1:44 PM.
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