South Florida leads state in COVID strains

Mutated strains of COVID-19 have reached 41 of Florida’s 67 counties, and South Florida leads in variant infections, according to data released to the Orlando Sentinel late Friday by the Florida Department of Health.

Broward County is at the top of the list with 307 infections, the most in the state, the data shows. Miami-Dade follows with

129 infections and then Palm Beach County with 75.

The data shows variants have infected hundreds of residents, including a 97-year-old woman and a 2-year-old boy. Overall, five of the variant infections have been fatal, and 34 of those infected were hospitalized, including a 21-yearold woman.

The data, which the state regularly submits to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shows infection rates appear to have spiked on Feb. 7, when 124 cases were reported by laboratories examining the genetic makeup of selected samples.

According to the most recent tally by the CDC, which is slightly more recent than the data provided by the state, Florida has had 912 variant cases in all, most of them the highly contagious B.1.1.7 strain from the United Kingdom. The state with the next highest total is Michigan, with 617, followed by Texas with 420.

The state refused to release information about variant infections for 57 days until the Orlando Sentinel sued for the data.

South Florida’s leaders recently spoke out about concerns that COVID-19 and the new variants were spreading within the state’s most populous metro area and a popular destination for spring breakers.

On Monday, as spring breakers jammed beaches, South Florida counties issued an “extremely rare” joint statement expressing concerns that Gov. Ron DeSantis’ decision to cancel COVID-19 fines sends a message that masks and other “common-sense” health measures are no longer needed.

DeSantis wiped away COVID-19 related fines last week, part of his push to block local governments from enforcing mask mandates and other public health measures.

MIKE STOCKER/SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL Pockets of the beach were crowded in Fort Lauderdale on March 4 as Spring Break started to ramp up at Fort Lauderdale beach and nearby bars.