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Florida's coronavirus cases spike to 21,194, highest since Sept. 12

State moves to second in nation for most cases in week
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Posted at 6:24 PM, Dec 22, 2021
and last updated 2021-12-23 19:47:51-05

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida reported 21,194 coronavirus residents' cases, the most since 21,508 reported on Sept. 1 during the height of the surge from the delta variant. The record is 27,669 reported on Aug. 26.

The Florida Department of Health has reported a total of 3,799,661 cases to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on a posting on Wednesday. The state stopped reporting daily figures on its website on June 4.

In one week, cases have risen 76,326, which is second only behind New York City with 85,650 with the rest of the state 65,596 as the omicron variant has quickly dominated throughout the United States. Illinois is behind Florida with 74,130.

Fourteen days ago Florida was 21st with 12,767 cases for the week.

Florida's infections have grown exponentially from 1,948 nine days ago then to 3,032, 4,107 seven days ago, 6,840, 8,787, 8,721, 9,434, 9,435, 12,915 Tuesday.

The daily seven-day average has risen to 10,903, which is the most since 11,398 on Sept. 15.

After a peak in early September, cases had subsided to as low at 1,224 on Nov. 27 with only 686 reported on Nov. 26.

On Wednesday, the CDC reported a total of 204,913 cases in the U.S.. This was one day after 288,381, which was the most since the record 294,015 Jan. 8. The seven-day moving average had dropped to 11,518 on June 19.

New York state reported a record 28,924 cases for a total of 3,014,767, which is the fourth most in the U.S. behind Florida. Until the spike last week, the record was 19,578 Jan. 8, according to CDC tracking.

California has the most cases, 4,954,130, including 10,903 most recently, and Texas is second at 4,444,883 with an additional 10,121. California has the U.S. record with 73,711 and Texas' is 29,310 earlier in the year.

Among other states Wednesday: Illinois reported a record 16,581 cases, Ohio 12,865 (record, 14,293 Jan. 2), New Jersey record 9,711 and Pennsylvania 9,838 (record 12,793 Dec. 11, 2020).

In cases per 100,000 over the past week, Florida is 22nd among states at 355.4. New York City is No. 1 at 1,019.8, District of Columbia at 934.8, Rhode Island art 696.3, New York state (not city) at 593.4, Ohio at 586.8, Illinois 585, Massachusetts at 583, New Jersey 565.

Florida has a total of 62,263 residents' deaths with one occurring on Tuesday. Twice a week the CDC back-adjusts deaths that have been reported to the state, including those from weeks ago. On Monday, the four-day increase was 191 (previous week 66) with seven days 281 (previous week 284).

California has 75,281 fatalities, including 117 reported Wednesday, with Texas second at 74,003 with 85 most recently.

Over the past seven days, Pennsylvania reported a U.S.-high 884 with Ohio second at 683, Arizona 499, California 463, Texas fifth 441, Indiana 432, Illinois 416, Michigan 409. Florida lists only 11 as occurring in the past week with back adjusting done Monday.

Coronavirus hospitalizations in Florida have surged to 1,849 (3.41% total bed capacity), compared with 1,411 one week ago but nowhere near the record of 17,295 on Aug. 29. The record low is 1,228 Nov. 29.

Florida ranked 13th in the nation despite the third-largest population.

In the U.S., the total hospitalizations for the disease: 69,731 (9.87%) compared with 67,306 a week ago.