Deaths rise on Space Coast despite steady COVID cases, falling hospitalizations
Though COVID-19 cases remained steady and hospitalizations dropped over the past two weeks in Brevard, the number of deaths attributed to the virus rose, according to national health data.
Between Jan. 26 and Feb. 1, 15 people died of COVID-19 on the Space Coast, according to the CDC. A specific number was not provided for the previous week between Jan. 19 and Jan. 25, though the agency said there were fewer than 10 deaths during that time period, a number that has been maintained for several months.
Despite the rise in deaths, cases remained almost exactly the same as the prior reporting period. Between Jan. 26 and Feb. 1, there were 498 reported cases, with an estimated 82.73 cases per 100,000 people, the CDC said. Between Jan. 19 and Jan. 25, the CDC reported 499 cases, with a case rate of 82.90 per 100,000.
The positivity rate dropped slightly, going from 15.61% between Jan. 19 through Jan. 25 to 14.36% between Jan. 24 and Jan. 30, the agency reported.
It’s important to note that not all cases in the community are accounted for by the CDC, as not everyone with symptoms takes a test, and at-home tests are not reported to state or national health agencies.
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New hospital admissions fell over the past week, dropping to 43 for the period between Jan. 25 and Jan. 31, the CDC said. The prior week, between Jan. 18 and Jan. 24, there were 55 new hospital admissions of confirmed COVID cases.
Across the Space Coast, 70.1% of residents age 5 and older have completed their primary series of COVID shots. However, only 12.6% of that population has received their updated bivalent booster dose.
Throughout the United States, 73.2% of people age 5 and older have completed their primary series of shots. 16% of that same population has received their updated bivalent booster.
Though the booster shot was designed to target the original strain of COVID as well as the Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, it may provide some protection against other strains of the virus, according to experts.
XBB.1.5 remained the dominant variant throughout the United States this week, making up a total of 66.4% of cases between Jan. 29 and Feb. 4, the CDC said. The prior week, the agency reported it accounted for 61.3% of cases.
BQ.1.1 and BQ.1 were the second and third most dominant strains, making up 19.9% and 7.3% of cases respectively.
Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 102,447,438 reported COVID-19 cases across the country, and 1,106,824 deaths.
There have been 2,278 deaths involving COVID in Brevard since March 2020.
Where to get vaccinated
Vaccines are available at three Florida Department of Health sites.
Viera clinic, at 2555 Judge Fran Jamieson Way.
Melbourne clinic, 601 E. University Blvd.
Titusville clinic, 611 N. Singleton Ave.
Brevard residents can also get vaccinated 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. Vaccines are also available 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 from COVID-19 spike in Brevard, though hospitalizations fall
