Florida COVID weekly update: Miami-Dade transmission risk level up, new cases increase
What is the COVID-19 situation like in Florida?
The average number of cases and deaths per day increased in the latest seven-day period in the state. As of Thursday, Dec. 15, the state has added an average of 2,851 cases and 27 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 2,584 cases and 14 deaths per day in the previous seven-day period.
COVID information shifting to weekly trends. What to know about finding the report
As of Friday, Dec. 16, more than 14,844,000 people were fully vaccinated in Florida. The state has logged at least 7,290,073 cases and 83,380 deaths since the pandemic began in March 2020.
The number of cases is likely an undercount because the data doesn’t include positive results from at-home COVID testing. The state tracks only resident cases and deaths, excluding nonresident information.
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. 11 to Dec. 17, the BQ.1.1 strain was the most dominant strain in the United States, accounting for 38.4% of cases. The BQ.1 variant is now the second-most dominant strain, accounting for 30.7% of cases, according to CDC data.
In the Southeast region, which includes Florida, BQ.1.1 made up 43.3% of cases and was the most dominant strain, while BQ.1 was the second most dominant, accounting for 26.7% of the cases.
COVID spread in South Florida
In the past week, the COVID-19 risk level in Miami-Dade County rose to medium after weeks of low transmission.
At this level, the CDC recommends those at high risk of severe illness talk with their doctors on whether to wear a mask or take other precautions.
Broward, Monroe, Palm Beach and Manatee counties 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. 15 Florida recorded 19,960 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 5,500 new resident cases in the week ending Dec. 15, reaching a cumulative total of 1,487,843 since March 2020, when the pandemic began. New cases were 5.46% higher than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing increased by 22.06%.
▪ Broward reported 2,233 new resident cases, reaching a cumulative total of 746,965. New cases were 22.02% higher than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing increased by 0.44%.
▪ Palm Beach reported 1,489 new resident cases, reaching a cumulative total of 461,440. New cases were 18.46% higher than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing decreased by 1.07%.
▪ Monroe reported 35 new resident cases, reaching a cumulative total of 22,185. New cases were 25% lower than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing decreased by 9.8%.
▪ Manatee reported 256 new resident cases, reaching a cumulative total of 119,356. New cases were 8.24% lower than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing increased by 2.1%.
South Florida and Manatee County COVID deaths
Florida has added 387 deaths in the past week, according to Miami Herald calculations of the CDC’s Community Profile Report.
It is unclear when these newly reported deaths occurred. The Community Profile Report updates Florida’s county death tolls and rates about once every seven days.
Florida had a rate of 388 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people since the start of the pandemic, according to the CDC report.
Here’s where death rates and tolls stand in South Florida and Manatee County, according to the CDC:
▪ Miami-Dade’s death toll is 11,963, an increase of 15 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 6,521, an increase of 13. That’s a rate of 334 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people.
▪ Palm Beach’s death toll is 5,790, an increase of 19. That’s a rate of 387 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people.
▪ Monroe’s death toll is 133, an increase of one. The county would be at a death rate of 177 deaths per 100,000 people if its population were that large.
▪ Manatee’s death toll is 1,669, an increase of eight. Manatee has a rate of 414 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people.
Florida COVID-19 vaccinations
About 14,844,287 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 160,355 people, or 6.3% of the fully vaccinated population, have received the booster.
▪ In Broward, about 164,064 people have received the booster, or 8.9% of the fully vaccinated population.
▪ In Palm Beach, about 162,725 people have received the booster, or 11.5% of the fully vaccinated population.
▪ In Monroe, about 8,369 people have received the booster, or 11.8% of the fully vaccinated population.
▪ In Manatee, about 45,423 people have received the booster, or 11.8% of the fully vaccinated population.
