COVID hospitalizations still twice as high as before the variant arrived in Florida

WLRN 91.3 FM | By Cindy Krischer Goodman | South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Published March 7, 2022 at 4:30 PM EST

Data is for Florida residents for 7-day periods ending on Thursdays. Source: Florida Dept. of Health

The omicron wave is diminishing in South Florida, but the variant’s impact is still being felt.

New cases and positivity continue to fall yet COVID hospitalizations and deaths are not at the low levels they were prior to the wave.

This week, new cases and the state’s positivity rate fell to levels they have not been at since early December, with 14,148 new cases and a positivity rate of 3.3%. The two measures are now close to the numbers Florida reported in June 2021, prior to the delta surge.