COVID-19 deaths drop on Space Coast, though cases and hospitalizations increase slightly
Though the number of deaths per week in Brevard dropped in the most recent health agency data, COVID case numbers and hospitalizations increased on the Space Coast.
Between Feb. 2 and Feb. 8, there were 521 new cases of COVID-19, with an estimated case rate of 86.55 per 100,000 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control. This is a slight increase over the 498 cases between Jan. 26 and Feb. 1 and an estimated 82.73 cases per 100,000 people.
However, the case positivity rate remained almost unchanged, with the CDC reporting a positivity rate of 14.05% between Jan. 30 and Feb. 6 and a positivity rate of 14.36% between Jan. 24 and Jan. 30.
It’s important to note that not all cases within the community are accounted for, as not everyone with symptoms takes a test, and at-home tests are not reported to the CDC or the Florida Department of Health.
Hospitalizations increased very slightly, hitting 45 new admissions of confirmed COVID-19 patients between Feb. 1 and Feb. 7. Between Jan. 25 and Jan. 31, there were 43 reported hospitalizations.
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Deaths dropped from the previous week, going from 15 deaths attributed to COVID-19 between Jan. 26 and Feb. 1 to fewer than 10 deaths between Feb. 2 and Feb. 8. The CDC did not specify exactly how many deaths occurred during this time period. The agency also does not provide demographic information regarding the deceased patients such as their sexes, ages or whether or not they suffered from comorbid health issues.
Despite the increase in cases, Brevard remains a community of low COVID-19 levels. This status is calculated by the CDC through hospitalizations and case numbers.
In Brevard, 70.1% of residents age 5 and older have completed their primary series of COVID-19 shots. However, that number drops to 12.7% when looking at how many residents age 5 and older have received their updated Bivalent booster.
Across the United States, 73.3% of people age 5 and older have completed their primary series of shots. Of the same population, 16.8% have received their updated Bivalent booster.
The booster shot was designed to target the original strain of COVID as well as the Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5. But it may provide some protection against other strains of the virus, according to experts.
The XBB.1.5 variant remained the dominant variant throughout the United States this week, making up a total of 74.7% of reported cases between Feb. 2 and Feb. 11, according to the CDC. The prior week, the agency reported it accounted for 66.4% of all cases.
BQ.1.1 and BQ.1 were the second and third most dominant strains, making up 15.3% and 5.1% of cases respectively.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 102,736,819 reported cases of COVID-19 in the United States and 1,110,364 deaths attributed to the virus.
In Brevard, there have been 2,285 deaths attributed to COVID-19 since March 2020.
Where to get vaccinated
The Florida Department of Health offers vaccines at three sites.
Viera clinic, at 2555 Judge Fran Jamieson Way.
Melbourne clinic, 601 E. University Blvd.
Titusville clinic, 611 N. Singleton Ave.
Vaccines are also available to Brevard residents at Omni Healthcare's offices, as well as their walk-in vaccination clinic located in Suite 303 on the third floor of 1344 S. Apollo Blvd. in Melbourne, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Residents can also get vaccinated from 9 a.m. to noon in Suite 2C of Omni’s 1344 S. Apollo Blvd. complex.
Local pharmacies — such as Walgreens, CVS and Publix — also offer vaccines. Check your pharmacy's website to schedule a vaccination appointment.
Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at 321-290-4744 or fwalker@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @_finchwalker
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Deaths down, but COVID cases and hospitalizations up in Brevard
