WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida's weekly coronavirus cases and positivity rate, and daily hospitalizations are at the lowest levels since before the omicron strain surged in December, and the weekly deaths, which leg behind other indicators, are the fewest in seven weeks.
Cases: 5,824,728, which is an increase of 10,211 in one week, the lowest since a two-week stretch last year, 8,892 Nov. 26 and 9,891 Nov. 19 with 10,302 Nov. 12, according to the state Department of Health on Friday. Those are the only times since the state went to weekly reported on June 4, they have been below10,000 in a week. In the previous week, the rise was 13,956. During the peak the record was 76,618 on Jan. 8. The seven-day rolling daily average is 1,469, the lowest since 1,381 Dec. 1 with record 65,279 Jan. 11, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On Friday, 1,365 new cases were reported with 812 Monday, the lowest since 720 Nov. 27.
Florida, which passed 5 million cases on Dec. 28, ranks fourth in the past week behind California at 34,31`0, Texas, North Carolina and Washington but is ninth in cases per million with Rhode Island No. 1. Overall Florida is third behind California with 8,426,700 and Texas with 6,597,153.
Deaths: 71,860 residents, which is an increase of 863, which was less than 888 Feb. 25 and less than 605 Jan. 21. Last week the rise was 1,207. During the peak the record was 2,448 on Sept. 10 amid the delta variant surge, according to the state report. The daily record was 435 occurring on Aug. 27. The number of deaths among those under 16 remained at 42 with 54,109 52,499 among those 65 and older, a rise of 665 (77.1% of total increase).
Florida, which passed the 70,000 milestone Fe. 28 is third behind California at 86,387 and Texas at 84,880. California reported the most deaths in the past week at 1,058.
Positivity rate: 2.4%, which ties for the lowest on Dec. 3 since the state went to weekly report. Last week the rate was 3.3% with the record 31.2 Jan. 7. The target rate is 5% with Palm Beach County at 2.6%, St. Lucie 2.8%, Martin 2.3%, Indian River 3.2%, Okeechobee 4.0%, Broward 2.1%, Miami-Dade 1.6. The two lowest in the state are 1.0% in Calhoun, 1.2% in Suwanee.
Hospitalizations: 1,810 with coronavirus (3.08% capacity), the fewest since 1,643 (3.01%) on Dec. 21 and last week 2,418 (4.17%). The record low was 1,228 Nov. 29 (2.24%) with the high during the omicron surge 11,839 (21.29%) on Jan. 19 and the record 17,295 (2.935) on Aug. 29. Florida is fourth behind California and Texas. In the U.S., beds occupied with coronavirus: 28,905 for covid (3.76%), one week ago 39,545 (5.1%) and record 160,113 (21.3%) Jan. 20.
Vaccinations: Nearly nine out of 10 adults have received at least one dose of a vaccine (89.7%) with 76.1% fully vaccinated and 41.1% a booster. Among children 5-11, 22% have been vaccinated with at least one dose. In the U.S., the one-shot rate is 88.1%, two doses 75.2% and boosters 47.6%. Every state in the nation has vaccinated at least 70% of adult population with at least one shot except for Wyoming at 69.4.%.
Tests: 380,160 in past week (54,309 daily) with 59,777 most recently March 4and record 276,735 Jan. 3.
Transmission: Martin County went from "moderate" to "low" in coronavirus transmission based on cases per 100,000 and positivty rate.St. Lucie remains "high" and the rest of the South Florida counties are "substantial": Palm Beach, Indian River, Okeehchobee, Broward, Miami-Dade with the later "high" the previous week.
Also in the CDC same report, 295 deaths were added in one week in South Florida (165 previous week) with 55 in Palm Beach, 32 in St. Lucie, 8 in Okeechobee, 8 in Indian River, none in Martin, 75 in Broward, 117 in Miami-Dade.
WPTV updates its coronavirus statistics page daily.
