Florida’s COVID-19 cases decreases, hospitalizations increases

Tallahassee, Florida – According to data maintained by two federal agencies, the number of newly reported COVID-19 infections in Florida decreases, but the number of hospitalizations increased.

On Wednesday Florida reported that it had 15,402 new COVID-19 cases, down from 23,533 the day before, according to numbers posted Thursday on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

Florida reported eight deaths from the virus on Wednesday, down from 37 the previous day. To help offset daily reporting errors, the CDC site also includes seven-day “moving” averages.

The information was reported to the CDC by state health officials Thursday but was based on data as of Wednesday. That data showed daily averages of 20,381 cases and 43 deaths in Florida.

The state’s seven-day moving average for fully vaccinated people was 20,853. The CDC site also tracks the number of vaccinations administered.

The seven-day moving average of people receiving one dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines on Wednesday was 40,211.

According to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services data, Florida hospitals reported 17,295 patients with COVID-19 had been admitted, up from 17,096 reported by hospitals the previous day.

Hospitals report that more than half of the intensive-care unit beds in the state were filled by patients with COVID-19.

Of the 6,864 ICU beds, 3,647 were occupied by patients with COVID-19. Overall, about 86 percent of the 59,903 hospital beds in the state Thursday were filled with patients.