COVID-19 cases have been marching steadily upward in Northeast Florida, but the surge has placed little strain on hospitals or raised much public concern.
Duval County reported 927 new cases last week, according to the latest data from the Florida Department of Health. That was dramatically less than a few months ago — when new cases totaled more than 10,000 a week — but it was higher than in more recent weeks.
Duval's average of new daily cases has increased 93% in the past 14 days, according to the New York Times COVID tracker. Daily case counts have increased in every county in Northeast Florida, as well as most of Florida.
The positivity rate — the percentage of COVID tests that come back positive — hit 8.8% last week, indicating wider spread of the virus, according to the state health department. Health experts consider the pandemic under control with a positivity rate of 5% or less.
Doctors say official case counts may not represent the true extent of COVID-19 because many home tests never get recorded. Even so, the latest strain of the coronavirus — BA.2.12.1 — is not making most people sick enough that they need hospitalization, data shows.
Hospitalizations statewide have risen only slightly, and 88% of intensive care beds remain open, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
COVID patents occupy only 1% of ICU beds in Duval County and 2% statewide, HHS says.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still considers Northeast Florida to be a level of low risk, based on hospitalizations and the total of new cases. CDC does not recommend masks in areas of low risk, except for people with symptoms, a positive test or exposure to someone with COVID-19.
