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Data released Friday shows that COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Brevard, setting new records for positivity rates and the number of average weekly infections. The number of cases has also increased statewide, including infections in children under 12.
In Brevard County, 3,516 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported for the seven-day period that ended Thursday, according to a report released Friday night by the Florida Department of Health. That’s an average of 502 new cases per day for the week of July 23-29. Last January, the number of daily cases peaked in the low 400 and averaged around 350 per week. In 2020, Brevard has never seen daily increases in the 300s.
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The weekly total compares to 2,166 new cases at Brevard a week ago, 1,443 two weeks ago and 693 three weeks ago. In the latest weekly report, the percentage of COVID-19 tests in Brevard that were positive for the virus was 23.9%, up from 20.3% last week, another record high. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that, ideally, positivity rates shouldn’t exceed 5%.
New cases statewide are also increasing. Over the past four weeks, the totals have gone from 23,554 to 45,584 to 73,199 to 110,477. The statewide positivity rate was 18.1% in the last weekly report. Last year, Florida led the country with the worst rate and number of cases, peaking at 83,090 cases in one week, 27,387 fewer than reported on Friday.
Infections among young people and children with the condition also appear to be on the rise. The latest data showed 10,785 new cases in children under 12 with a positivity rate of 18.2%. In comparison, people aged 65 and over recorded 11,113 cases and a positivity rate of 11.3%. The most affected age group, according to the latest data, was 30-34 with 21,053 new cases, while the least affected was 60-64 with 5,294 new cases.
For the week that just ended, it reported 110,447 cases in one week.
Rising COVID-19 cases triggered the release of a joint statement from Brevard County government officials, the Florida Department of Health to Brevard and the three county hospital companies that included an “urgent appeal” so that unvaccinated residents can be vaccinated without delay.
Health First announced on Friday it was canceling more surgeries beyond elective surgeries to stop the spread of the coronavirus. From now on, all non-urgent surgeries will be canceled to anticipate the increase in hospitalizations.
“This proactive decision was made so that we are prepared, and can provide additional space if needed, to care for patients in our facilities. It also gives clinical staff the opportunity to temporarily support other critical areas,” Health First spokesperson Lance Skelly said. an email.
Health First has also started erecting a treatment tent outside Viera Hospital in the event of an emergency department overflow; tents had already been pitched in front of Holmes Regional Medical Center and Palm Bay Hospital.
The number of cases statewide has increased in each of the past five weeks.
The state reported that 334,064 people had been vaccinated according to the most recent data.
Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 2,590,699 cases of COVID-19 in Florida, including 51,525 in Brevard.
According to data from Friday, an additional 6,825 people were vaccinated last week.
Tyler Vazquez is the North Brevard Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Vazquez at 321-917-7491 or [email protected]. Twitter: @tyler_vazquez
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