Space Coast sees acute increase in COVID-19 cases
COVID-19 infections in Brevard County are once again surging at unprecedented levels. According to data released by the Florida Department of Health Friday, COVID-19 cases on the Space Coast have now broken the record rates set by delta's deadly summer surge.
Over the course of the last four weeks, as the highly-contagious omicron variant has spread nationwide, cases have sharply increased week by week. But over those four weeks, based on the data, cases climbed the most this past week: According to FDOH, cases on the Space Coast increased by 309% in just one week.
From Dec. 24 to Dec. 30, Brevard County had 814.6 cases per 100,000 people, which translates to 4,979 COVID-19 cases. This marks an increase of 615.6 cases per 100,000 population since the prior week.
And as test kits run out of stock and lines of crowded people wait at Brevard County's testing sites across the county, the new case positivity rate increased from 8.1% to 23.8%, according to FDOH data.
The COVID-19 case positivity rate and cases per 100,000 are the two measures used to evaluate how much the virus is spreading in a community. According to the CDC, community of high transmission is one where there are more than 100 cases per 100,000 and a new case positivity rate of over 10%. According to these guidelines and the Space Coasts immense case load, since the previous week, Brevard County remains a community of high transmission.
Though cases might be skyrocketing, vaccinations are not keeping pace and only slowly creeping up. As of Dec. 30, only 68% of eligible residents on the Space Coast—those ages five and older— have received at least one dose of a vaccine.
According to CDC data, there were six COVID-19 related deaths in Brevard County from Dec.18 to Dec. 25. There have been a total of 1,728 COVID-19 related deaths on the Space Coast since January 2020.
Though the death rate has not increased since the prior week, according to county health officials deaths and hospitalizations can take about a week to two weeks to increase after cases increase.
Statewide cases more than doubled since the prior week.
Across Florida there were 1,358.1 cases per 100,000, making for 788.4 more cases per 100,000 since the previous week. That means that there were 298,455 Floridians who tested positive for COVID-19, and of those who tested for COVID-19, 26.5% tested positive— up 12.7% since the previous week.
According to FDOH, of the eligible population in Florida, age group vaccination rates across the state are:
Ages 5-11, 15% vaccinated
Ages 12-19, 58% vaccinated.
Ages 20-29, 60% vaccinated.
Ages 30-39, 69% vaccinated.
Ages 40-49, 77% vaccinated.
Ages 50-59, 82% vaccinated.
Ages 60-64, 89% vaccinated.
Ages 65+, 91% vaccinated.
About 20% of Floridians have received a booster shot.
From Dec. 24 to Dec. 30,162 Floridians died of COVID-19. There have been 62,504 COVID-19 related deaths in Florida since the start of the pandemic.
According to CDC data, nationwide, there have been a total of 820,355 COVID-19 related deaths, and 53,795,407 cases since the start of the pandemic. Only 78% of eligible Americans have received at least one dose of a vaccine as of Dec. 31.
Where to get tested:
The following Florida Department of Health sites are available for either walk-in or appointment only testing.
Department of Health Brevard, 2555 Judge Fran Jamison Way, Viera, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. This is a walk-up site with appointment only testing.
Parrish Medical Center, 951 N. Washington Ave., Titusville, Monday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. This is a drive thru site with appointment only testing.
Rockledge City Center, 920 Barton Blvd., Rockledge, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday. This is a drive thru site, and walk-ins are allowed.
West Melbourne Community Park, 3000 Minton Rd., West Melbourne, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. This is a walk-up site, and walk-ins are allowed.
Testing is also available to established or new OMNI Healthcare patients at any of its offices in Brevard County; to book an appointment, patients can call their OMNI doctor's office.
Additionally, the website www.211Brevard.org has a list of sites offering testing. Some of those sites require reservations, while others allow walk-ins
Where to get vaccinated:
The Florida Department of Health is offering COVID-19 vaccines at three sites:
Melbourne clinic, 601 E. University Blvd., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Those ages 5-11 can get vaccinated only from 1:30 to 4 p.m. on Friday.
Titusville clinic, 611 N. Singleton Ave., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Those ages 5-11 can get vaccinated only from 1:30 to 4 p.m. on Friday.
Viera clinic, 2555 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Those ages 5-11 can get vaccinated only from 8 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Residents can also get vaccinated and boosted at OMNI Healthcare's mass vaccination clinic located in Suite 303 on the third floor of 1344 South Apollo Boulevard in Melbourne, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Walk-ins are accepted but appointments can be made by calling (321) 802-5515 or by emailing the request and including a name and phone number to COVID@OMNIhealthcare.com.
COVID-19 vaccines also are available at pharmacies at various local CVS, Publix, Sam’s Club, Walgreens, Walmart and Winn-Dixie stores, as well as some urgent-care centers and physician offices.
Where to get the monoclonal antibody treatment:
The monoclonal antibody treatment operation is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily under an outdoor tented area in the southwest corner of the Rockledge City Center parking lot, at 920 Barton Blvd. The site is at the intersection of Barton and Fiske boulevards. Walks in are not available, appointments can be made at https://www.patientportalfl.com/. The site will be closed Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.
Amira Sweilem is the data reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Sweilem at 386-406-5648 or asweilem@floridatoday.com.
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: COVID-19 cases on Space Coast surpass summer surges peaks
