Florida's COVID positivity rate is down to 8.2% and hospitalizations are under 5,000

The death toll from COVID-19 in Florida rose above 68,000 this past week — to 68,902 — as the state reported 1,330 more fatalities due to complications from the coronavirus.

It's the highest number of weekly deaths since early October.

Across Florida, the number of new cases dropped by more than half. The weekly report from the Florida Department of Health, released Friday, showed 42,473 new positive tests for the week of Feb. 11-17, down from 103,022 last week.

The positivity rates for new cases continues a downward trend, coming in at 8.2%, down from 14.3% a week earlier.

On Friday, 4,637 people were hospitalized statewide with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19. That's down more than 26% from a week earlier.

The vaccination rates for people ages 5 and older remained practically unchanged from the week before.

The following is a summary from Feb. 11-Feb. 17:

Cases: 5,775,171 positive cases, an increase of 42,473 from the previous week.

Vaccinations: 15,379,508 Florida residents have been vaccinated, a weekly increase of 16,036. In all, 74% of Florida’s population over the age of five has received at least one dose of vaccine, basically the same rate as a week ago.

Positivity Rate: The positivity rate for new cases statewide was 8.2%, down from 14.3% the previous week.

Deaths: A total of 68,902 Florida residents have died from a primary diagnosis of COVID-19, an increase of 1,330 from the previous week.

(NOTE: Cases and deaths in the report may have happened days or weeks earlier, according to state officials. The state is also now only counting deaths involving Florida residents.)

* - Vaccination rate now includes children ages 5-11 years old.

ABOUT THE DATA: As of June 4, 2021, the Florida Department of Health no longer offers daily updates on coronavirus data, and instead issues a county-by-county and statewide weekly breakdown on about COVID-19 cases, deaths, and other information. Cases and deaths in the report may have happened days or weeks earlier, according to state officials. The state is also now only counting deaths involving Florida residents.

Copyright 2022 WUSF Public Media - WUSF 89.7