A highly infectious Covid-19 variant is circulating widely in Florida, prompting concern that a resurgence of the virus is possible in the state and beyond, even as cases and hospitalizations drop dramatically. In Florida, as elsewhere in the U.S., Covid cases, hospitalizations and deaths have dropped significantly from recent highs, helped by progress in the vaccination campaign. But conditions aren’t improving quite as quickly in the Sunshine State, at least in certain key categories.
The per-capita rate of Covid-19 patients currently in Florida hospitals is now about 25% above the national average. And new patients are arriving at its hospital emergency departments at slightly higher rates than the rest of the country.
Hospital Burden
Percentage of emergency department visits for Covid-like illness
Source: National Syndromic Surveillance Program data via CDC website
Florida isn’t the place with the most Covid-burdened hospitals — New York is — but the underperformance bears watching because Florida has the highest estimated concentration of cases of the B.1.1.7 variant.
In recent days, more than 30% of Covid-19 samples from Florida indicate the presence of the contagious mutation that has caused havoc in the U.K., according to an analysis by testing company Helix. Nationwide, Helix data suggest the variant accounts for more than 20% cases, though the figures are extrapolations based on a fraction of cases.
About 17.6% of Floridians have had at least one shot of a vaccine, in line with the 17.7% national average, according to the Bloomberg Vaccine Tracker.
