Cases down over the last two weeks

One week after President Biden announced the COVID-19 public health emergency is ending, the latest state report shows cases and hospitalizations are heading downward.

There were 39,903 new COVID19 cases recorded over the last two weeks among Florida residents, compared to 50,242 in the two weeks prior, bringing the cumulative total to 7,400,419 in the Florida Department of Health’s latest report.

Across the state, 2,369 people were hospitalized with COVID19 from Jan. 25-31, an 11% drop in COVID-19 admissions from the week prior, according to the latest White House report. In comparison, 2,741 were hospitalized two weeks ago. Five weeks ago, it was 3,355.

With 783 more fatalities on record, 85,710 Florida residents have died, according to the Florida Department of Health’s most recent report. In the two weeks before this, 751 deaths were reported. Not all the reported deaths happened in the last two weeks. Deaths can take weeks or months to be reported.

Statewide, 16,121,624 residents, or 73% of people aged 6 months and up, have received at least one vaccination shot.

Booster uptake is much lower. The majority, 7,764,575, have completed their shot regimens but have not received an additional dose. About 4,269 received an additional dose this week, bringing the total to 6,141,259.

Central Florida added 7,560 resident infections over the last three weeks, based on the actual date the state opened the case, for a total of 1,456,836: 2,070 more in Orange for 469,296; 656 more in Osceola for 142,222; 1,548 more in Polk for 256,399; 589 more in Lake for 107,592; 187 more in Sumter for 29,653; 849 more in Volusia for 148,608; 1,019 more in Brevard for 172,577; and 642 more in Seminole for 130,489.

Vaccines and COVID-19 tests are currently available nationwide, including four free, mail-order test kits per household at covid.gov/ tests.

Testing options can be located at Floridahealthcovid19.gov/testing-sites.