Fogbow

Florida reports record 21,000 cases in single day, highest since start of pandemic
BY CELINE CASTRONUOVO - 07/31/21 06:13 PM EDT

The state of Florida on Friday recorded its highest ever single-day increase in COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, with 21,683 new infections, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Friday’s infection surge comes as the Sunshine State is emerging as the new epicenter for the virus. The new tally outpaces the state’s previous peak measured in early January, when daily new cases reached a total of 19,334. Florida on Thursday recorded 17,093 new cases, according to the CDC, even as the state's vaccination rate has recently increased.

On Friday, the Florida Department of Health said there had been a 50 percent jump in new coronavirus cases in the previous week, with more than 110,000 new infections recorded. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has resisted imposing mandatory mask mandates despite the CDC's updated guidance announced this week that vaccinated individuals should mask up indoors in areas with high positivity rates. DeSantis, a frequent critic of coronavirus mitigation measures has also prohibited businesses from requiring customers to show proof of vaccination. DeSantis on Friday went a step further and signed an executive order allowing parents to choose whether their children will wear masks in school, regardless of whether the local school district has implemented a mandatory mask mandate.

As of Saturday, about 58 percent of Florida’s population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 49 percent fully vaccinated, according to the CDC's vaccine tracker map. The surge in cases has taken a toll on hospitals in the state, with Florida Hospital Association President Mary Mayhew saying Thursday that coronavirus hospitalizations statewide are approaching last year’s peak levels. Despite DeSantis’ pushback to mask mandates, several businesses throughout the state, including Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld, have reimposed indoor mask mandates for guests to fall in line with the updated guidance. The Florida-based supermarket chain Publix also said Friday that it would be requiring all employees, regardless of vaccination status, to wear masks at work.

The updated CDC guidance was based on research suggesting that vaccinated individuals may be able to spread the highly transmissible delta variant of COVID-19 just as easily as unvaccinated groups. The pace of vaccinations across the country has picked up over the past week as federal officials ramp up their warnings on the danger of the delta variant, with Florida measuring a 15 percent increase in shots administered, according to the state’s health department.

ORLANDO, Fla. – A day after the state recorded the most new daily cases since the start of the pandemic, Florida on Sunday broke a previous record for current hospitalizations set more than a year ago before vaccines were available.

The Sunshine State had 10,207 people hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to data reported to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

The previous record was from July 23, 2020, more than a half-year before vaccinations started becoming widespread, when Florida had 10,170 hospitalizations, according to the Florida Hospital Association.

“We’re seeing unprecedented numbers of patients, over 96% of whom have not been previously vaccinated,” said Tom VanOsdol, president and CEO of Ascension Florida and Gulf Coast. “So this is a very significant impact for our healthcare system, and for our broader community.”

"I have every shred of confidence, unless something miraculous happens, that tomorrow we will have the largest number of hospitalized COVID patients throughout Louisiana than at any prior point," said state health officer Dr. Joe Kanter.

The number of people in hospitals has increased at a rate hospital staff said is not sustainable. Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana's largest standalone hospital, accepted 33 emergency federal workers Monday to help stanch the flow of coronavirus patents. It is not enough.

"We are no longer giving adequate care to these patients," said Dr. Catherine O'Neal, the hospital's chief medical officer and a professor at LSU Health New Orleans, painting a dire picture for patients -- those hospitalized for coronavirus or for any other reason. Twenty-three patients were waiting on Monday to transfer from other hospitals into OLOL's ICU, she said. But there are not enough people to care for them.

As the numbers of hospitalized patients continue to rise, the quality of care will inevitably decrease across the state, said Susan Hassig, Tulane University epidemiologist. And not just for coronavirus patients -- anyone visiting the hospital will be affected by the strain too many sick patients puts on the health care system.

“Our staff that are in the front lines are still recovering from the mental and emotional strain of the past 18 months,” Larkins said, while trying to hold holding back tears at a Monday press conference in Gainesville. “Many of them tell me they don’t know if they can take another surge.”

Some are leaving health care, as hospitals struggle to maintain enough staff. Northeast Georgia Health System has turned to agencies to try to find 550 registered nurses to meet demand and to fill empty spots.

Meanwhile, beds are filling up with COVID-l19 patients, and late afternoon Monday many emergency rooms all over the state were urging ambulances to take patients elsewhere.

tek wrote: ↑Mon Aug 02, 2021 4:48 pm That looks about linear over the past two weeks, so no panic

but

At least Florida apparently hasn't reported its weekend data yet (just looked on the cdc data page)

so maybe panic.

The number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 in Florida rose to an all-time high of 11,515 patients in one day, according to data the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released Tuesday.

The data is used by the Florida Hospital Association to track admissions and staffing shortages. The figures also show 2,400 of those patients are in ICU beds.

The previous day, the data showed there were 10,389 COVID-hospitalizations in the state.

The new number breaks a previous record for current hospitalizations set more than a year ago before vaccines were available. Last year, Florida hit its previous peak on July 23, with 10,170 hospitalizations.