According to national health data, the Space Coast has seen COVID-19 numbers surge higher than they were roughly a month ago since Thanksgiving.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 364 COVID-19 infections in Brevard County between December 1 and December 7, with a positive rate of 10.28%. A month ago, between November 3 and November 9, that number was reported as 293, with a positive rate of 6.86%. According to the latest available data, the case rate is 60.47 per 100,000 people. The government assessed that figure to be 48.68 per 100,000 in early November.
Hospitalizations have also increased from a month earlier. COVID-19 caused 26 hospital admissions in the county between November 30 and December 6. The virus was responsible for 19 hospitalizations between November 2 and November 8.
Despite an uptick in cases and hospitalizations, deaths in early December remain around the same as in early November. Data from December 1 to December 7 reveal that there were less than ten deaths caused by COVID-19, and data from November 3 to November 9 show the same thing. Neither the CDC data collection nor the time period provided the precise number of deaths.
Furthermore, the Space Coast is still classified as a community with a low COVID-19 community rating. The CDC calculates this category based on hospitalizations and case rates. It is crucial to note, however, that the CDC’s data do not include all instances because at-home tests are not reported to the agency and not everyone with symptoms takes a test.
According to The Palm Beach Post, the increase in instances is part of a statewide pattern that began around Thanksgiving. According to the U.S. Health and Human Services Department, there were 1,330 COVID-positive individuals hospitalized statewide as of Dec. 2, compared to around 1,100 patients in the weeks preceding Thanksgiving.
There have been 2,243 COVID deaths in Brevard since the outbreak began in March 2020. Since March 2020, there have been 99,241,649 verified cases of COVID-19 and 1,080,472 deaths from the condition across the country.
According to the CDC, 69.9% of people aged 5 and older in Brevard have been immunized against COVID, while 77.1% of Americans aged 5 and older have received the vaccine nationwide. When those aged 5 and up receive the revised bivalent booster vaccine, this figure reduces to 13.5% nationwide.
Though the bivalent booster was designed for the BA.5 omicron variation, which is no longer the prevalent COVID-19 strain, researchers believe it may still be useful against newer strains. Pfizer claimed on November 18 that the booster may help guard against newer variants, stating that the booster generated antibodies that target four more subtypes of the omicron variant in addition to the BA.5 omicron strain.
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