COVID cases, hospitalizations rise on the Space Coast, following statewide trend

Finch Walker, Florida Today
·3 min read
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MELBOURNE — COVID cases on the Space Coast rose by about 250 compared to the beginning of December, with hospitalizations increasing but deaths remaining fairly steady, according to state health department data released Friday.

Between Dec. 30 and Jan. 5, the Florida Department of Health reported 641 cases of COVID-19 in Brevard, with a case positivity rate of 16.3%. The agency estimated there were 102.4 cases per 100,000. Their previous report, with data collected between Dec. 9 and Dec. 15, showed there were 390 cases, with a case positivity rate of 9.4% and 62.3 cases per 100,000.

FDOH did not release a report for the week of Dec. 22, with a three-week gap between reports rather than the usual two weeks, citing holiday delays.

Hospitalizations on the Space Coast increased as well, with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control reporting 36 hospitalizations due to COVID between Dec. 28 and Jan. 3, as compared to 26 hospitalizations between Nov. 30 and Dec. 6.

While cases and hospitalizations rose, the approximate number of deaths did not. Between Dec. 29 and Jan. 4, there were fewer than 10 deaths from COVID in Brevard, the CDC said Friday. This matches data from Dec. 1 through Dec. 7, which showed the same estimate. Neither data set provided a specific number.

The increase in Brevard comes just after cases increased by thousands statewide, with reported infections rising to 25,840 between Dec. 22 and Dec. 28, according to CDC data. This was a jump of about 6,000 compared to the previous week, when more than 19,000 cases were reported throughout the state.

The CDC still defines Brevard as a community of low COVID levels, though most counties throughout Florida were marked communities of medium or high levels by Thursday. It’s important to note that not all cases are accounted for, as at-home tests are not reported to the CDC or the Florida Department of Health, and not everyone with symptoms takes a test.

On the Space Coast, 69.9% of the population ages 5 and older have completed their primary series of shots against COVID-19, according to CDC data. However, that number drops to just 11.2% when examining how many individuals age 5 and up have received the updated bivalent booster dose.

Throughout the United States, 73.1% of those ages 5 and up have completed their primary series of shots, while only 15.4% of the same age group have received the updated bivalent booster.

This is how vaccine data breaks down in Florida by age group, according to FDOH:

  • Ages 6 months-4 years, 3.4% vaccinated.

  • Ages 5-11, 26% vaccinated.

  • Ages 12-19, 65% vaccinated.

  • Ages 20-29, 67% vaccinated.

  • Ages 30-39, 73% vaccinated.

  • Ages 40-49, 80% vaccinated.

  • Ages 50-59, 84% vaccinated.

  • Ages 60-64, 88% vaccinated.

  • Ages 65+, 94% vaccinated.

Since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, Brevard has reported 2,257 deaths involving COVID. Throughout the United States, there have been 101,094,670 reported cases and 1,091,184 reported deaths.

Where to get vaccinated

Brevard residents can receive a vaccine at any of the vaccination sites run by the Florida Department of Health.

  • Viera clinic, at 2555 Judge Fran Jamieson Way

  • Melbourne clinic, 601 E. University Blvd.

  • Titusville clinic, 611 N. Singleton Ave.

Vaccines are also available at Omni Healthcare’s offices, as well as at its 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. Brevard residents can get a vaccine from 9 a.m. to noon in Suite 2C of Omni’s 1344 S. Apollo Blvd. complex.

Finch Walker is a breaking news reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at 321-290-4744 or fwalker@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @_finchwalker

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: COVID cases and hospitalizations are on the rise in Brevard