Sunday Florida COVID-19 update: Hospitalizations fall by 700, ICU patients down by 130

David J. Neal

Continuing a trend that began Thursday, the number of Florida hospital patients with COVID-19 fell by 727, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Sunday report.

There were 10,636 hospital patients who tested positive with COVID-19 in Florida in data reported to HHS from 250 hospitals. That’s six fewer hospitals than in Saturday’s report.

Patients with COVID-19 take up 18.99% of all inpatient beds in the latest report, compared to 19.27% among Saturday’s reporting hospitals.

Of the people hospitalized in Florida, 1,481 were in intensive-care units, a decrease of 130 from Saturday. That represents about 24.91% of the state’s ICU beds, compared to 25.14% the previous day.

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Florida COVID vaccine rates

About 13,912,911 of eligible Floridians — 64.8% of the state’s population — have completed the two-dose series of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines or have completed Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Of that fully-vaccinated group, 5,051,535 have received a vaccine booster.

A passenger takes a break for a ciagrette while waiting to get tested at Tropical Park on Dec. 26.
A passenger takes a break for a ciagrette while waiting to get tested at Tropical Park on Dec. 26.

Vaccinations in South Florida and Manatee County

▪ In Miami-Dade County, about 2,225,694 people, or 81.9% of the county’s total population, are fully vaccinated. Of that number, 650,058 have received a vaccine booster.

▪ In Broward County, about 1,347,831 people are fully vaccinated, or 69% of the county’s population. Of that number, 471,108 have received a vaccine booster.

▪ In Palm Beach County, about 962,780 people are fully vaccinated, or 64.3% of the county’s population. Of that number, 375,479 have received a vaccine booster.

▪ In Monroe County, about 56,464 people are fully vaccinated, or 76.1% of the county’s population. Of that number, 19,453 have received a vaccine booster.

▪ In Manatee County, about 242,019 people are fully vaccinated, or 60% of the county’s population. Of that number, 98,168 have received a vaccine booster.