Florida COVID weekly update: Hospitalizations down to levels not seen in months

What is the COVID-19 situation like in Florida?

In the past seven days, the state has added 5,899 cases and 75 deaths per day, on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Over the past three weeks, on average, 80 fewer cases were logged each day across the state, showing a decrease in new cases.

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

As of Tuesday, Aug. 30, more than 14,633,400 people are fully vaccinated in Florida. The state has logged at least 7,019,198 cases and 79,770 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 new omicron subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5, are spreading throughout the United States. They were first detected in South Africa earlier this year.

From Aug. 21 to Aug. 27, the BA.5 strain remained the most dominant strain in the United States, accounting for 88.7% of cases. The BA.4.6 variant remained the second most dominant strain, accounting for 7.5% 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 86.3% of cases in the area and BA.4.6 accounted for 9.9%, 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 and Manatee are 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, Broward and Palm Beach lowered to a medium COVID-19 risk level. Monroe remained at the medium level.

At this level, masks aren’t recommended and the CDC advises 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 Aug. 18 to Aug. 25, Florida has seen 45,419 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 7,695 new resident cases in the week ending August 25, reaching a total of 1,431,092. Cases added were 6% fewer than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing decreased by 10.36%.

▪ Broward reported 3,746 new resident cases, reaching a total of 719,552. Cases added were 7% fewer than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing decreased by 6.1%.

▪ Palm Beach reported 2,614 new resident cases, reaching a total of 441,519. Cases added were 7% fewer than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing decreased by 0.44%.

▪ Monroe reported 124 new resident cases, reaching a total of 21,522. Cases added were 16% more than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing increased by 4.33%.

▪ Manatee reported 936 new resident cases, reaching a total of 114,526. Cases added were 15% more than those added in the previous week and COVID-19 testing decreased by 4.05%.

South Florida and Manatee County COVID deaths

Florida has added 369 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 370 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 11,598, an increase of 98 deaths from Friday’s report. That’s a rate of 427 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people since the beginning of the pandemic.

▪ Broward’s death toll is 6,198, a recalculation that reduced the number by one. That’s a rate of 317 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people.

▪ Palm Beach’s death toll is 5,454, an increase of 40. That’s a rate of 364 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people.

▪ Monroe’s death toll is 125, a recalculation that reduced the number by two. The county would be at a death rate of 168 deaths per 100,000 people if its population were that large.

▪ Manatee’s death toll is 1,563, an increase of 18. Manatee has a rate of 388 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people.

Florida COVID-19 hospitalizations

There were 3,112 people hospitalized in Florida, with 352 in the ICU, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services report on Tuesday.

Over the past three weeks, on average, 54 fewer people were hospitalized each day in Florida, showing a decrease in seven-day average hospital trends. Total hospitalizations have lowered to levels not seen since early June and are still declining.

At that same time, on average, five 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 14,633,418 eligible Floridians — 68.1% 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.

About 6,204,796 Floridians have received a booster, about 42.4% 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 830,177 people, or 35.3% of the fully vaccinated population, have received a booster.

▪ In Broward, about 585,335 people have received a booster, or 41.3% of the fully vaccinated population.

▪ In Palm Beach, about 456,603 people have received a booster, or 45.2% of the fully vaccinated population.

▪ In Monroe, about 23,941 people have received a booster, or 40.6% of the fully vaccinated population.

▪ In Manatee, about 117,799 people have received a booster, or 46.3% of the fully vaccinated population.