TAMPA, Fla. — With a little more than five weeks left until kids head back to school in Florida, the state continues to see high transmission rates of COVID-19 in 90 percent of the counties in the Sunshine State.
According to the CDC, 60 of Florida's 67 counties reported high community levels of COVID-19 transmission in the most recent report. The CDC said Florida's positivity rate using 7-day metrics stands at 20-24.9% while the population over 5 that is fully vaccinated stands at 71.4%.
Locally, Hillsborough County showed a 2.6% increase in cases from last week while Pinellas reported a 6.3% increase in cases. Manatee and Polk Counties reported case increase rates of 3.48% and 1.87% respectively.
Pasco County was moving in a better direction, showing a 4.66% drop in cases in the last week.
Across Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk, Pinellas, and Manatee Counties, the CDC estimated that 1,046 new hospital admissions for COVID-19 have happened in the last week.
COVID-19 vaccines are available to all age groups now with some groups qualifying for a fourth booster shot for the vaccine.
