KEY POINTS

  • Broward County reported a nearly 40% COVID-19 positivity rate
  • Only one Florida county has a positivity rate below 10%
  • Approximately 6,000 patients are now hospitalized with COVID-19 statewide

COVID-19 cases in Florida have increased by 948% over the past two weeks as the Omicron variant causes a surge of infections across the United States.

Between Dec. 24 and 30, Florida health officials recorded a total of 298,455 new infections and 32 additional deaths. In comparison, state officials reported 128,186 cases between Dec. 17 and 23 and only 29,514 cases between Dec. 10 and 16.

During the Christmas holidays, the state also had a positivity rate of 26.5%, up by 12.6% from the week starting Dec. 17, according to a COVID-19 weekly situation report published Dec. 31.

Since the holiday season, COVID-19 cases have continued to increase in Florida. On Saturday and Sunday, health officials recorded a total of 85,707 new cases. The number of patients hospitalized with the novel coronavirus in Florida has also increased to 6,000 — the first time to hit the mark since late September, data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed.

Broward County posted the highest positivity rate of any other county in Florida. The county reported a nearly 40% positivity rate as of Sunday. Palm Beach and Miami-Dade follow Broward county with the highest positivity rate, with both at 34%. All other Florida counties have over 10% positivity rate, except Glades County with 6.7%.

Overall, Florida has seen a 948% increase in COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks. The state has now reported 4,209,927 cases and 62,504 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic, a CNN analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University found.

The analysis also found COVID-19 cases to be rising rapidly in other states since Dec. 20, including Alabama, which saw a 597% increase in infections, and Puerto Rico with a 587% rise in case numbers.

Of all U.S. states, only Maine and New Mexico have not seen a rise in COVID-19 cases. Maine has reported 23% fewer infections since Dec. 20.

As of Monday, the U.S. recorded a total of 56,149,558 cases and 827,726 deaths since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Historic Xi'an -- where 13 million residents are facing their fifth day confined at home -- is at the centre of a Covid-19 flare-up
Historic Xi'an -- where 13 million residents are facing their fifth day confined at home -- is at the centre of a Covid-19 flare-up AFP / STR
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