WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — All South Florida counties except Okeechobee are in the highest of three COVID-19 community levels, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in its weekly update posted Thursday.
Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Broward and Miami-Dade are listed as "high" while Okeechobee dropped to "medium" after one week in the top category.
The only other counties in central to South Florida in medium are Hardee, Glades, Henry, Collier and Desoto. The only counties "low" are in Panhandle and Marion.
The levels have different commendations to halt the spread out coronavirus, including mask wearing indoors recommended for the most severe level and additional measures for high-risk people.
For medium and low, you are encouraged to "wear a mask if you have symptoms, a positive test or exposure to someone with COVID-19." At the medium level, "if you are at high risk for severe illness, consider wearing a mask indoors in public and taking additional precaution.
The first criteria is cases per 100,000 people in the past week with 200 or more considered high. Palm Beach County is 332.78 down from 344.74, St. Lucie 284.19 vs. 227.95; Martin 242.86 vs. 196.27, Indian River 259.5 vs. 271.38; Okeechobee 128.06vs. 116.2; Broward 434.0 vs. 439.94 Miami-Dade 578.52 vs. 634.61.
Another criteria s hospital admissions per 100,000, which is high if 20 or more. Palm Beach, St. Lucie, Martin, Okeechobee are 17.9; Indian River 13.0; Broward and Miami-Dade 22.7.
And the percent of staffed inpatient beds with covid for a weekly average is 15% or more. Palm Beach, St. Lucie, Martin, Okeechobee 5.7%, Indian River 5.4%; Broward, Miami-Dade 7.0%.
The CDC determines an overall high level by counting the higher of the two hospitalization rates.
The high categories in three counties reflect surging cases, positivty rates and hospitalizations.
Cases statewide are at the highest level since mid-February (74,234 in past week according to CDC), the positivity rate of 16.2% (two weeks ago) is greatest since early February, hospitalizations (3,500 Thursday) are the most since Feb. 24 and deaths' increase in a week, 269, is the most in the United Stares, according to CDC.
The bi-weekly state report will be released Friday.
The current seven-day rolling daily average is 10,604 with 11,064 June 8, most since 12,359 Feb. 12;. The figure 1,127 on March 22 is the lowest since 1,106 June 8, 2020. The record: 65,277 Jan. 11 (456,946 in a week).
On Thursday, 12,763 cases were posted with 13,382 Wednesday, the most since 14,015 June 3.. One week ago it was 12,181. The daily record: 76,608 Jan. 8.
The CDC lists overall positivity rates, with the target 5.0% or less, as Palm Beach18.9%, St. Lucie 21.8%, Martin 18.5%, Indian River 16.85%, Okeechobee 11.47%, Broward 20.83, Miami-Dade 20.38%.
Hospitalizations are the most since 3,574 (5.64%) Feb. 24. One week ago it was 3,105 (5.38%) and April 11 it was 892 (1.58%), least since record-keeping began July 2020, according to Department of Health and Human Services. The record was 17,295 (2.35%) on Aug. 29 during the delta variant surge.
Residents' deaths are 75,087 which is a one-week increase near double from135 a week ago, according to CDC data from Florida.
The state report doesn't list county deaths' data but the CDC issues weekly reports 19 in Palm Beach, 29 in Miami-Dade, 10 in Broward and less than 10 in Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Okeechobee.
In March, the CDC started designating "community levels." Since the pandemic, the CDC had "community transmission," which is based on cases and tests, and is broken into "low," "moderate," "substantial" and "high." The entire state, including all of South Florida is listed as "high" except Franklin and Hamilton "substantial."
