Florida COVID update: Miami-Dade, Keys see an uptick in cases as testing increases
What is the COVID-19 situation like in Florida?
As of Nov. 3, the state has added an average of 1,547 cases and 27 deaths per day in the past seven days, according to Miami Herald calculations of data published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
COVID information shifting to weekly trends. What to know about finding the report
As of Friday, Nov. 4, more than 14,761,000 people were fully vaccinated in Florida. The state has logged at least 7,203,370 cases and 82,357 deaths since the pandemic began in March 2020.
The number of cases is likely an undercount due to positive results from at-home COVID testing. The state only tracks resident cases and deaths, excluding nonresidents.
Here’s a breakdown of what to know this week:
Tracking COVID variants
Six new omicron subvariants — BQ.1, BQ.1.1, BF.7, BA.2.75, BA.2.75.2 and BA.5.2.6 — are slowly gaining traction, spreading throughout the United States. This is in addition to omicron’s two widespread subvariants, BA.5 and BA.4.6.
From Oct. 30 to Nov. 5, the BA.5 strain was the most dominant strain in the United States, accounting for 39.2% of cases. The BQ.1.1 variant is now the second most dominant strain, accounting for 18.8% of cases, according to CDC data.
Here’s how many cases the newest omicron variants are accounting for, in order of dominance:
▪ BQ.1: 16.5%
▪ BA.4.6: 9.5%
▪ BF.7: 9.0%
▪ BA.5.2.6: 3.1%
▪ BA.2.75: 2.3%
▪ BA.2.75.2: 1.3%
In the Southeast region, which includes Florida, BA.5 made up 38.8% of cases in the area and BQ.1.1 accounted for 19.7%, the most dominant strain and second most.
COVID spread in South Florida
In the past week, Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe, Palm Beach and Manatee counties remained at a low COVID-19 risk level. Under this level, the CDC recommends to get tested if you have symptoms and stay up-to-date with coronavirus vaccines.
Masks are only recommended for those with symptoms, a positive test or exposure to the virus.
South Florida and Manatee County COVID-19 Cases
In the period from Oct. 27 to Nov. 3, Florida has seen 10,839 new cases, according to Miami Herald calculations of the CDC’s Community Profile Report published Friday.
Here’s a breakdown of the new COVID cases in South Florida and Manatee County, according to the report.
▪ Miami-Dade reported 1,850 new resident cases in the week ending Nov. 3, reaching a total of 1,467,750. New cases were 3.93% more than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing increased by 12.99%.
▪ Broward reported 961 new resident cases, reaching a total of 737,940. New cases were 1.33% fewer than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing increased by 11.65%.
▪ Palm Beach reported 687 new resident cases, reaching a total of 455,161. New cases were 20.39% fewer than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing increased by 18.21%.
▪ Monroe reported 23 new resident cases, reaching a total of 21,983. New cases were 76.92% more than those added in the previous week, and COVID-19 testing increased by 1.28%.
▪ Manatee reported 241 new resident cases, reaching a total of 117,979. New cases were 54.49% more than those added in the previous week and COVID-19 testing increased by 25.03%.
South Florida and Manatee County COVID deaths
Florida has added 187 deaths in the past week, according to Miami Herald calculations of the CDC’s Friday Community Profile Report.
It is unclear when these newly reported deaths occurred. The Community Profile Report updates Florida’s county tolls and rates about once every seven days.
As of Friday’s Community Profile Report, Florida had a rate of 383 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people since the start of the pandemic.
Here’s where death rates and tolls stand in South Florida and Manatee County, according to the CDC:
▪ Miami-Dade’s death toll is 11,870, an increase of 19 deaths from last Friday’s report. That’s a rate of 405 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people since the beginning of the pandemic.
▪ Broward’s death toll is 6,463, an increase of 11. That’s a rate of 331 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people.
▪ Palm Beach’s death toll is 5,722, an increase of 12. That’s a rate of 382 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people.
▪ Monroe’s death toll is 132, no increase. The county would be at a death rate of 178 deaths per 100,000 people if its population were that large.
▪ Manatee’s death toll is 1,635, an increase of four. Manatee has a rate of 405 cumulative deaths per 100,000 people.
Florida COVID-19 hospitalizations
There were 1,437 people hospitalized in Florida, with 165 in the ICU, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services report on Friday.
Over the past three weeks, on average, 10 fewer people were hospitalized each day in Florida, showing a decrease in seven-day average hospital trends.
At that same time, on average, no new patients were in the ICU with COVID each day in Florida, showing a stagnation in trends.
During omicron’s January peak, more than 15,000 patients were hospitalized in Florida, according to HHS data.
Florida COVID-19 vaccinations
About 14,761,334 eligible Floridians — 72.6% of the state’s population — have completed the two-dose series of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines or have completed Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine, according to the CDC.
Here’s how many people have received a booster in South Florida and Manatee County, according to the CDC:
▪ In Miami-Dade, about 848,521 people, or 35.7% of the fully vaccinated population, have received a booster.
▪ In Broward, about 599,214 people have received a booster, or 42% of the fully vaccinated population.
▪ In Palm Beach, about 469,313 people have received a booster, or 46% of the fully vaccinated population.
▪ In Monroe, about 24,783 people have received a booster, or 41.5% of the fully vaccinated population.
▪ In Manatee, about 121,345 people have received a booster, or 47.2% of the fully vaccinated population.
