COVID-19 cases plateau in past week

After weeks of downward declines in cases, new coronavirus infection numbers in Florida have plateaued. The past seven days showed an average of 4,511 new cases per day compared to a 4,475 daily average the seven days before that.

The total of new cases in the last seven days was 31,577, and 31,327 in the seven days before that. The case numbers include both residents and non-residents in Florida.

Deaths continue to decline for now. Florida’s cumulative resident death toll from coronavirus is 32,779 as of Monday, including 37 new reported fatalities.

Monday’s 2,862 new positive COVID-19 cases for Florida bring the cumulative total to 2,011,211.

With a population of about 21.5 million, about one in 11 people in the state have now been infected. That number is closer to one in 11 nationally and one in 63 worldwide.

With 629 non-Florida resident deaths, including two new reported Monday, the state’s combined total stands at 33,408. Each report includes deaths from several previous days, as it can take weeks and sometimes several months for reports to appear.

Florida has seen about one in 655 of its residents die from the virus, while nationally it’s closer to one in 605 people, and worldwide it’s at about one in 2,870 of the planet’s 7.8 billion population.

Across the state, 2,871 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of about 2 p.m. Monday, including 125 in Orange County, 56 in Osceola, 36 in Lake and 56 in Seminole.

To date, 84,873 people have been hospitalized in Florida, according to the state’s report, which includes 60 newly reported hospitalizations since Sunday’s update.

Statewide, 4,955,264 people have received at least one vaccination shot including 2,740,267 who have completed their shot regimen, whether it’s the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna option or the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The count is a snapshot through Sunday, based on the report released Monday.

Of those who have received at least the first dose, 3,152,424 are over the age of 65.

To date, 11,661,469 people have been tested in Florida, 14,446 more than Sunday’s total.

Statewide, the latest positivity rate reported Monday for Sunday’s test results by the Florida Department of Health was 6.69%, but that’s for new cases only and excludes anyone who previously tested positive. The positivity rate including retests is 9.11%.

Central Florida added 628 cases on Monday for a total of 355,649: That includes 229 more in Orange for 120,412; 67 more in Polk for 59,834; 62 in Osceola for 38,723; 76 in Volusia for 36,785; 81 in Brevard for 36,306; 65 in Seminole for 29,062; 31 in Lake for 26,009; and 17 in Sumter for 8,518.

There were 10 new deaths across all eight Central Florida counties bringing the region’s toll to 5,634. Polk County has the most coronavirus fatalities in the region with 1,220, followed by 1,169 in Orange, 789 in Brevard, 697 in Volusia, 594 in Lake, 473 in Osceola, 449 in Seminole and 243 in Sumter.

Central Florida accounts for over 17% of the cases statewide and over 17% of the deaths.

South Florida, home to 29% of Florida’s population, accounts for 38% of cases with 771,918. That includes 1,316 new cases reported Monday among MiamiDade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.

South Florida’s reported deaths rose by 7 for a total of 10,923, about 33% of the state’s total.