COVID cases in Florida plummet as omicron wave continues its sharp decline

Coronavirus cases in Florida dropped sharply again along with the positivity rate, as the omicron wave continued its steep decline, according to the state's weekly report issued Friday.

Meantime, hospitalizations related to COVID-19 dropped about 28% during the past week,

The decreases took much of Florida out of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's high-risk category for COVID-19.

For the seven-day period ending Thursday, 14,148 people tested positive for COVID, bringing the state's overall total to 5,814,517, according to the report released by the state Department of Health. That's down from 25,640 a week earlier, and the lowest weekly number since Dec. 10-16.

The positivity rate for new cases also dropped to 3.3%, down from 5.6% a week earlier, and compared to a peak of 31.2% from Dec. 31-Jan. 6.

The one figure where there was an increase was deaths. The state reported 70,997 Floridians have died with COVID-19, with 1,207 reported for the week, up from 888 a week earlier. The state crossed the 70,000 death mark on Monday.

That tally comes as the global deaths related to COVID-19 has surpassed 6 million, according to Johns Hopkins University.

As of Friday, 2,418 people were hospitalized in Florida with COVID, down 28% from a week earlier.

The Florida vaccination rates for people ages 5 and older remained virtually unchanged from the week before at 74% statewide.

The following is a summary from Feb. 25- Mar 3:

Cases: 5,814,517 positive cases, an increase of 14,148 from the previous week.

Vaccinations: 15,418,039 Florida residents have been vaccinated, a weekly increase of 10,460. In all, 74% of Florida’s population over the age of five has received at least one dose of vaccine, the same rate as a week ago.

Positivity Rate: The positivity rate for new cases statewide was 3.3%, down from 5.6% the previous week.

Deaths: A total of 70,997 Florida residents have died from a primary diagnosis of COVID-19, an increase of 1,207 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.

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