Florida COVID levels near pre-surge lows: Here’s the latest numbers
COVID cases and hospitalizations have fallen to near levels last seen before the winter surge caused by offshoots of the Omicron variant of the virus. This is what the latest data shows:
Fewer new COVID cases and hospitalizations in months
15,174 new infectionsthe fewest since the week ended December 1 (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
1,590 hospitalized patients – the fewest since December 11th. (Source: Health and Human Services Department).
Gov. Ron DeSantis has yet to fulfill a promise he made in January 2022 to differentiate between people who are hospitalized for COVID and those who test positive in the hospital for some other reason. Such data would provide a more accurate picture of the severity of the disease.
What does the latest wastewater data say?
Sewage revealing coronavirus trends ahead of official case numbers shows virus levels are falling in almost every county in Florida that tests sewage, including a large one that showed rising numbers last week.
Effluents from Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, Alachua, Leon, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Orange and Seminole counties show fewer coronavirus genetic fragments compared to last week and month.
Sewage tests conducted by Boston-based Biobot Analytics last week showed the virus spread in Miami-Dade County in the two weeks leading up to Feb. 8.
However, test results released on Wednesday showed a drop to about 341 virus molecules per milliliter of wastewater, the fewest since last spring.
Viral loads are slowly rising in Seminole County, Orange County’s northern neighbor, test results from Biobot show. The private lab found 1,048 coronavirus particles per milliliter of wastewater on Wednesday, up 57% from Feb. 1 — still near mid-December lows.
Sewage testing by the statewide WastewaterSCAN initiative also shows declining virus counts in Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Orange and Seminole counties.
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The recent wave of deaths continues to decline
305 more deaths were registered this weekstill higher than weekly readings prior to surge below 200. (CDC data).
It can take weeks for deaths to enter official statistics. Even as new infections and hospital admissions fall, deaths lag behind.
Florida’s vaccination rates remain among the worst in the nation
29% — Floridians 65+ who received the latest refresher*
41% — Seniors funded nationwide**
10.9% — Floridians updated on gunshots
16% — Americans to date
86.012 — Floridians killed
7.5 million – infected in Florida. More than 1 in 3 residents
*The over-65s account for the vast majority of COVID deaths.
** Only seniors from Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana enjoy less protection than those from Florida.
Chris Persaud is a data reporter for the Palm Beach Post. Email him at[email protected]. Click @ChrisMPersaud and follow him on Twitter.