More than 10,200 COVID cases and 33 deaths reported in Florida

Miami, Florida – Amid an increase in the number of people testing positive for COVID-19, local leaders from the Sunshine State and Miami-Dade County are urging the public to be safe and to get a COVID-19 vaccination to help stop the spread.

By getting her second booster shot, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava drove that point home, Friday morning.

On Thursday, the state reported more than 10,200 COVID cases and 33 deaths.

According to Levine Cava, Miami-Dade County is at a 17% positivity rate, but despite the increase in cases, there has not been a high rate of hospitalizations, serious illnesses or deaths, which the mayor attributes to the county having the highest rate of vaccinations in the Sunshine State.

“However, we are not out of the woods, the pandemic is still here,” said Levine Cava. “We need to make sure that you have the tools and the resources that you need to protect yourselves and your loved ones and the whole community.”

Experts are also warning people to be mindful of using rapid antigen tests because those tests may not always be extremely accurate.

If a person has symptoms and they end up with a negative result, experts are recommending people wait a few days to test once again, or to opt for a PCR test, which tend to be more accurate.