COVID infections rising in Florida
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Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios
COVID-19 infections are ticking up in Florida, fueled by the spread of new variants.
Why it matters: People congregating indoors to avoid extreme heat and an extremely busy July 4 travel week are expected to drive up infections.
- While experts expect this summer wave to remain mild, it's a reminder to remain vigilant, particularly among those who are medically vulnerable.
The big picture: Cases are growing or likely growing in 39 states, and they don't appear to be declining in any state, according to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
- Hospitalizations and deaths remain low.
- Wastewater surveillance, which is one of the more reliable ways of tracking COVID spread after testing dropped off, shows that COVID levels are rising in the Midwest, Northeast and South.
- The KP.3 and KP.2 strains, descendants of the highly contagious JN.1 variant and among the so-called FLiRT variants, account for more than half of infections, according to CDC data.
Between the lines: Federal health authorities no longer provide total case counts and hospitals are not required to report hospitalizations, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
Zoom in: Analyses of Florida's sewage show an increase in virus levels since early May, including in Miami-Dade County, according to the Times.
Miami-Dade's Jackson Health System saw an uptick in COVID hospitalizations last month after reporting an "all-time low number of inpatient cases" from April to May, the Miami Herald reported.
- Broward's Memorial Healthcare System had 91 inpatient cases in late June, a 38% increase since the end of May, according to the Herald.