WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Two months after the Omicron variant began spreading into Florida, the coronavirus situation has sharply peaked and then rapidly declined in cases, positivity rate and hospitalizations with deaths, which lag behind, a less significant curve but only 210 from the milestone 70,000 residents.
Infections rose 25,390 in one week, which is is just 6% of the record, including 2,942 posted Friday, the lowest since 2,185 Dec. 13. The 5.6% first-time positivity rate is one-sixth of the peak and close to the 5.0% target rate with Palm Beach County at 4.6%, according to weekly data from the Florida Department of Health. The 3,358 hospitalizations are one-third of the most during the peak, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Deaths' weekly increase of 888 dropped below four digits for the first time in five weeks, according to the state.
Tests are also one-quarter of the all-time high at the start of the year with 66,201 daily most recently.
Hospitalizations one week ago were 4,637 and now are the least since 3,148 Dec. 30 with 11,839 Jan. 19, the most since 12,651 Sept. 11 and much less then record 17,295 in the summer during the delta surge. One week ago it was 6,301
The infection rate has gone from a record 31.3% on Jan. 7.
Weekly cases, which are the lowest since 12,984 Dec. 10 and less than 28,841 Dec. 17, dropped 38.7% from 42,373 one week ago and the record 429,311 six weeks ago. The daily record 76,627 was reported Jan. 8.
Deaths' increase is two-thirds from than 1,330 one week ago, which is the Omicron peak
During a spike, cases first rise, then hospitalizations, then deaths.
Fatalities rose to a cumulative 69,790, which is third in the nation, with 66.6% of the increase, 660, those 65 and older. The weekly increased deaths compare with 1,293 one week ago, 1,324 two weeks ago but more than half of the record of 2,448 during the delta surge on Sept. 10, according to data from the Florida Department of Health. Four weeks ago it was 605, five weeks ago 470 and six weeks ago 184, among the lowest since the pandemic.
For comparison purposes, weekly cases' increase is around one-third of the daily record of daily record.
The first four months of the pandemic in Florida in 2020 had 400,000 cases. The entire United States had under 400,000 cases in a week in late July.
The cumulative cases total is 5,800,561 behind California and Texas.
Florida passed 5 million cases on Jan. 15, 4 million on Dec. 28, 2021; 3 million on Aug. 19, 2021, 2 million March 27, 2021 and the first million on Dec. 2, 2020. The first cases were reported in Florida on March 1, 2020.
Six weeks ago the first-time positivity rate rate dropped for the first time after a record 31.3%. It was 2.6% 11 weeks ago with the record low 2.1% earlier. Before the spike, the last time it was above the 5% target rate was 6.6% on Sept. 24. The overall first-time positivity rate is 26.8% compared with 24.8% the week earlier.
The state reported 22% of youths 5-11 have been vaccinated, the same from a week earlier. The state listed vaccination data for those 5-11 is 368,674 compared with 363,567 one week earlier. Nearly nine of 10 adults (89.3%, just 0.3 percentage points increase) have at least one vaccination shot and those 12 and older at 87.5%.
The state reported there are 40 deaths under age 16 (no change for second week in a row) and 802,956 cases (799,755 previous week) and 16-29 there have been 475 deaths (increase of eight) and 1,288,794 cases (1,284,697 previous week). At the other extreme, for 65 and older there are 52,499 deaths (51,908 previous week), which is 75.2% of total and 749,843 cases (743,843 previous week), which is 12.9% of total.
Cases
Generally, at-home rapid tests are not reported to agencies. The state didn't give any details on the processing of tests from labs, including whether there was a backlog because of the holiday weekend. The first omicron "stealth" variant has been reported from labs in Florida.
The state since June 4 has not released daily data, though information goes to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Just 74 days ago the daily increase was 1,947. Eleven weeks ago the entire weekly cases total was 13,452. Until the recent spike, the previous record for increase in the state was 152,760 24 weeks ago.
Two weeks ago the weekly increase was 122,428 . On Nov. 30 the weekly 9,792 increase was the lowest since the state went to weekly reports on June 4.
The seven-day moving average is 3,666, lowest since reported 3,006 Dec. 14, with the record 65,288 Jan. 11. One week ago it was 6,075.
The new cases in the state over one week were 25,640, one week after 42,473, six weeks after a record 430,095 and 13 weeks after 9,641, the lowest since the state week to weekly reports, which is different than the increase because of revisions.
During the surge from the delta variant, the daily record was 27,964 on Aug. 26.
With the omicron spreading worldwide in the past month, Florida's cases had climbed exponentially.
Only 684 cases were reported on Nov. 26.
Twice week a CDC revises new daily cases in data provided by the state.
Deaths
The state set a record for most deaths in one day: 434 on Aug. 27. Until the recent spike, the record was 245 on Aug. 4, 2020.
The record increase was 276 on Aug. 11 when the state was giving daily reports.
Until Friday's report 22 weeks ago, deaths had surpassed 2,000 four weeks in a row: 2,340 after 2,468, 2,448, 2,345.
The state listed 119 deaths occurred in the past week with 161` the previous week and 433 20 weeks ago.
The CDC is now only reflecting the date of occurrence for cases and deaths rather than when reported to the Florida Department of Health. It can take several days or even weeks for the state to receive a report of a death.
The state has never listed increases on its since disbanded website and reports as media outlets, including WPTV, did the math each day.
Counties
All Florida counties' level of coronavirus transmission are listed as high, according to the CDC.
Every positivity rate and number of cases in South Florida went down. Okeechobee is the highest in the area at 7.2% with Liberty the highest at 16.0% and Franklin lowest at 1.2%. The lowest South Florida is Miami-Dade at 2.8% with Broward at 3.5%. Four weeks ago five counties in the state were above 40%.
Palm Beach County: Cases: 362,530 residents (1,202 new, 1,840 past week). First-time positivity in past week: 4.5% (6.1% past week, 6.5% 10 weeks ago).
St. Lucie County: Cases: 73,084 residents (270 new, 1,469 past week). First-time positivity in past week: 6.0% (past week 8.9%, 10 weeks ago 3.5%).
Martin County: Cases: 30,693 residents (109 new, 188 past week). First-time positivity in past week: 5.2% (7.1% previous week, 10 weeks ago 3.8%).
Indian River County: Cases: 32,047 residents (151 new, 286 past week). First-time positivity in past week: 6.2% (previous week 10.7%, 3.4% 10 weeks ago).
Okeechobee County: 10,549 residents (28 new, 71 past week). First-time positivity in past week: 7.2% (previous week 12.3%, 2.1% nine weeks ago).
Broward County: Cases: 595,601 residents (1,765 new, 2,800 past week). First-time positivity in past week: 3.5% (previous week 5.2%, 6.9% 10 weeks ago).
Miami-Dade County: 1,179,782 residents (3,176 new, 4,655 past week). First-daily positivity in past week: 2.8% (previous week 3.7%, 7.0% 10 weeks ago).
Tests
Florida has reported 53,708,729 tests through Feb. 18 with California No. 1 at 123,111,586. Some people have taken more than one test.
In one week, there were 455,492 tests, which is 65,070 daily. One week ago it was 624,353
The daily record for tests was 276,589on Jan. 3 with the most recent Feb. 18 at 66,201
The state doesn't include test data in its weekly reports.
National/world
The state's mortality rate (cases vs. deaths) was 1.2% (no change) including 7.0% for 65 and older but less than 1% in younger ages except 1.8% for 60-64. It is 1.2% in the United States and 1.4% worldwide.
In deaths per million, Florida is 3,238 (18th in nation), U.S. 2,907, world 764.0. Mississippi is first at 4,035, Arizona second at 383, Alabama third 3,709, New Jersey fourth 3,699,. New York, which had been second for most of the pandemic behind New Jersey, is now eighth at 3,482.
Florida's deaths are 7.4% of the total in the U.S. total and 7.4% of the cases. The state comprises 6.6% of the U.S. population.
Since the first two cases were announced on March 1, 2020, Florida's total has surged to 27.0% of the state's 21.48 million population, ninth in cases per million behind No. 1 Rhode Island , No. 2 Alaska and No. 3. North Dakota. In cases per 100,000 for seven days, Florida is 36th among states at 119.5 (one week after 34th) with Maine No. 1 at 1,152,7, Idaho second at 583.6, Montana third at 428, Alaska second at 393.0. Among territories, Northern Mariana Islands is first at 2,144.6 Guam second at 1,120,0, Palau third at 1,082.1
On Friday, California reported a U.S.-high 11,737 cases, one week after 12,577, behind the national record 143,290 Jan. 11 for a total of 8,361,709.
Texas gained 6,604 cases, after a record 75,917 Jan. 11, and is third at 6,540,116.
New York reported 2,320 cases Friday compared with the record 90,132 Jan. 8 and is fourth overall at 4,897,383.
No states have set daily cases records in the past four weeks.
The U.S. overall reported 61,359 cases Thursday one week after 101,303 with the record 1,335,999 Jan. 10, according to the CDC.
World figures skyrocketing during the omicron strain, including record 3,804,379 Jan. 20, according to Worldometers.info.
These are the records since the omicron spike: France 501,635, Brazil 286,050, Italy 228,179, Britain 218,724, Germany 247,128, Russia 203,949, Netherlands 189,377, Kouth Korea 171,448 (Wednesday), Spain 161,688, Australia 153,968, Argentina 134,439, Turkey 111,157, Japan 100,949, Israel 83,739, Indonesia 64,718, Mexico 60,552, Canada 55,350, Greece 50,126. India's 335,348 most recently is less than record 414,433 May 6, 2021.
California has the most deaths at 93,992, adding a daily-high 208 Friday with Texas second at 82,084 with an additional 240. New York gained 55 for a total of 67,275in fourth.
Deaths reported Thursday in the U.S. were 2,424, one week after 2,226 and the record is 4,103 Feb. 1 with last year's high 4,070 Jan. 13.
Hospitalizations
The record low is 1,228 Nov. 29 with the highest 17,295 Aug. 29.
Of the 259 hospitals reporting, 5.64% of the available beds are occupied with coronavirus patients. The total beds in use: 48,806 (80.73%). The previous day the same number of hospitals was 258.
In the U.S.. hospitalizations dropped to 52,543 (6.71%) after a record 160,113 Jan 20. Until the spike record was 142,315 on Jan. 14 last year. The high during the delta surge was 103,896 Sept. 1.
Florida is fourth in U.S. with covid hospitalizations with California first with 5,338 (8.16%), Texas second with 4,917 (7.4%). Georgia climbed into third with 4,032 (9.71) in the past week with New York fifth with 2,658 (5.56%%),
Vaccinations
In state vaccination data from the CDC, 89.3% of Florida's population 18 and older has had at least one dose (15,410,297) and 75.8% fully vaccinated (13,069,438). President Joe Biden had set a nationwide goal of 70% vaccinated by July 4 with at least one dose by adults and the current figure is 87.8%. Totally vaccinated is 74.9%.
In addition, the CDC is now capping percentages at 95%.
Forty-nine states achieving the 70% standard are New Hampshire (95.0%), Massachusetts (95.0%), Connecticut (95.0%), Vermont (95.0%), Rhode Island (95.0%), New Jersey (95.0%), Maine (95.0%), New York (95.0%), Hawaii (95.0%), New Mexico (95.0%), Maryland (95.0%), North Carolina (95.0%), Virginia (95.0%), Pennsylvania (95.0), Delaware (93.4%), California (92.9%), Washington (90.9%), Florida (89.3%), South Dakota (89.1%), Colorado (89.0%), Oregon (86.7%), Nevada (86.6%), Kansas (86.4%), Illinois (85.8%), Utah (85.6%), Minnesota (85.0%), Oklahoma (84.0%), Texas (83.1%), Nebraska (81.7%), Arizona (81.7%), Wisconsin (81.5%), Alaska (80.6%), Iowa (78.8%), South Carolina (77.7%), Arkansas (77.2%), North Dakota (76.9%), Kentucky (76.7%), Missouri (76.4%), Michigan (76.3%), Georgia (76.1%), Montana (74.6%), West Virginia (74.2%), Alabama (73.7%), Ohio (73.2%), Idaho (72.8%), Tennessee (72.5`%), Louisiana (72.0%), Indiana (71.4%), Mississippi (70.2)
The worst percentage: Wyoming 69.2%.
Also reaching the benchmark are Guam (95.0%), Republic of Pau (95.0%), District of Columbia (95.0%), Puerto Rico (95.0), American Samoa (95.0%), Northern Mariana Islands (95.0%), Virgin Islands (76.9%), Federated States of Micronesia (72.7%).
The CDC is now listing percentages for those 5 and older: In Florida one shot 16,734,093 (82.3%) and fully vaccinated 14,138,761 (69.5%) in Florida.
For those 12 and older in Florida, 87.`5% had at least one dose (16,354,192) and the complete series is 74.1% (13,851,616).
For the total population, the percentage is 78.0% (16,742,331) and the complete series is 65.8% (14,140,496).
The state considers fully vaccinated two doses for Pfizer and Moderna and one for Johnson & Johnson.
In boosters, 40.5% of adults in Florida (5,298,503) and 46.9% in the United States (90,751,359) have been vaccinated.
