CDC adds 16,000 previously uncounted COVID cases to Florida total
The Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this week that about 16,000 previously uncounted have been added. COVID-19 cases to Florida’s total in the last four months.
At the same time, the number of new cases in the state rose slightly this week, while hospitalizations sank to pre-winter spike levels.
The CDC has added 15,993 COVID cases to its previously unreported total in Florida between November and March, the federal agency reported Thursday.
Representatives for the CDC and the Florida Department of Health did not explain on Friday why these infections have not been counted for months.
The federal health agency said on March 9 that “technical problems” prevented it from reporting any new cases in Florida that week.
Cases down, cases slightly up
1,091 hospitalized patients Friday, the lowest since November 20th, well below the nearly 3,000 in the first week of January. (Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).
8,969 new infections This week is slightly higher than last week’s record of 7,397 and much lower than the nearly 35,000 recorded in the week ending January 19 (Source: CDC).
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Latest sewage data: low and flat
The effluent, which reveals coronavirus trends earlier than official case numbers, shows virus levels remain well below their winter peaks despite the recent uptick.
Sewage readings in Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, Orange, Alachua, Hillsborough, Leon, Pinellas and Seminole counties continue to show viral loads well below their January peaks.
Coronavirus particle counts in Orange County fell again after a brief spike in early March, according to a March 15 sewage test conducted by Boston-based laboratory Biobot Analytics.Orlando is the county seat. .
Biobot and national WastewaterSCAN sewage tests show continued declines in virus counts in sewage in Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, Alachua, Leon, Hillsboro, Pinellas, and Seminole counties.
Should I wear a mask indoors?
As the number of COVID-positive patients and cases continues to decline, the CDC no longer recommends indoor masking anywhere in Florida to prevent strain on local hospitals.
CDC records over 400 new deaths
403 More deaths recorded this weekthe highest since the week ending February 2 and far higher than the weekly number of less than 300 recorded between that week and last week. It remains unclear how many of these uncounted cases are attributable.
Florida still has the worst vaccination rates in the nation
30% — Floridians 65+ with the latest booster*
41.9% — Elderly population is increasing nationwide**
11.2% — Latest Floridian on Shots
16.4% — Newest American
87,141 Florida residents killed, except for more than 3,000, which state auditors found in 2020. State Department of Health did not count.
Over 7.5 million In Florida, more than 1 in 3 residents are infected.
* People over the age of 65 account for the majority of deaths from COVID.
**Only seniors in Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and Tennessee have less protection than seniors in Florida.
Chris Persaud is a data reporter for the Palm Beach Post.send him an e-mail cpersaud@pbpost.com. click @ChrisMPersaud follow him on twitter.
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