Florida COVID weekly update: New cases continue to climb across South Florida

What is the COVID-19 situation like in Florida?

As of Thursday, Dec. 8, the state has added an average of 2,584 cases and 14 deaths per day in the past seven days, according to Miami Herald calculations of data published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s up from an average of 1,835 cases per day and down from an average of 32 deaths per day in the previous seven-day period.

COVID information shifting to weekly trends. What to know about finding the report

As of Tuesday, Dec. 13, more than 14,833,000 people were fully vaccinated in Florida. The state has logged at least 7,270,113 cases and 83,195 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 tracks only resident cases and deaths, excluding nonresidents.

Here’s a breakdown of what to know this week:

Tracking COVID variants

The CDC is tracking 16 omicron subvariants, 12 of which are spreading throughout the United States and make up all new cases.

From Dec. 4 to Dec. 10, the BQ.1.1 strain was the most dominant strain in the United States, accounting for 36.8% of cases. The BQ.1 variant is now the second-most dominant strain, accounting for 31.1% of cases, according to CDC data.

In the Southeast region, which includes Florida, BQ.1.1 made up 41.1% of cases and BA.1 accounted for 26.4%, the most dominant strain and second most.

COVID spread in South Florida

In the past week, Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe, Palm Beach and Manatee counties have remained at a low risk level of COVID-19 transmission.

Under this level, the CDC recommends staying up-to-date with coronavirus vaccines and getting tested if you have symptoms. Masks are recommended only for those with symptoms, a positive test or exposure to the virus.

South Florida and Manatee County COVID-19 Cases

From Dec. 8 to Dec. 1, Florida recorded 18,090 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 4,722 new resident cases in the week ending Dec. 8, reaching a cumulative total of 1,482,343 since March 2020, when the pandemic began. New cases were 60.78% higher than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing increased by 22.06%.

▪ Broward reported 1,830 new resident cases, reaching a cumulative total of 744,732. New cases were 36.26% higher than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing increased by 23.07%.

▪ Palm Beach reported 1,257 new resident cases, reaching a cumulative total of 459,951. New cases were 23.72% higher than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing increased by 19.46%.

▪ Monroe reported 28 new resident cases, reaching a cumulative total of 22,150. New cases were 26.32% lower than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing increased by 17.57%.

▪ Manatee reported 279 new resident cases, reaching a cumulative total of 119,100. New cases were 46.07% higher than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing increased by 10.58%.

South Florida and Manatee County COVID deaths

Florida has added 226 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 387 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 11,948, an increase of 12 deaths from last Friday’s report. That’s a rate of 440 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people since the beginning of the pandemic.

▪ Broward’s death toll is 6,508, an increase of five. That’s a rate of 333 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people.

▪ Palm Beach’s death toll is 5,771, an increase of seven. That’s a rate of 386 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people.

▪ Monroe’s death toll is 132, no increase. The county would be at a death rate of 178 deaths per 100,000 people if its population were that large.

▪ Manatee’s death toll is 1,661, an increase of seven. Manatee has a rate of 412 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people.

Florida COVID-19 vaccinations

About 14,833,950 eligible Floridians — 69.1% 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.

Here’s how many people have received the updated Pfizer-BioNTech booster in South Florida and Manatee County since Oct. 12, according to the CDC:

▪ In Miami-Dade, about 148,855 people, or 5.8% of the fully vaccinated population, have received the booster.

▪ In Broward, about 154,706 people have received the booster, or 8.4% of the fully vaccinated population.

▪ In Palm Beach, about 155,387 people have received the booster, or 10.9% of the fully vaccinated population.

▪ In Monroe, about 7,966 people have received the booster, or 11.2% of the fully vaccinated population.

▪ In Manatee, about 43,232 people have received the booster, or 11.2% of the fully vaccinated population.