As we continue to keep an eye on the COVID-19 surge in Florida, new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to paint a picture of Florida as the hotspot of America. Here’s a look at the latest data:
New COVID-19 Cases
Statewide, Florida continues to set records for new COVID-19 cases recorded. On Tuesday, August 10th, Florida recorded 24,753 cases according to data from the CDC.
This new high brings the 7-day rolling average to more than 21,000 cases per day.
Florida leads the nation in 7-day case rate per 100,000 individuals at 689.5. The average 7-day case rate per thousand for the United States as a whole is 239 cases.
Locally, Orange County has recorded 8,826 new COVID-19 cases in the past 7 days – continuing the trend of more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases per day on average.
Hospitalizations
The Florida Hospital Association confirmed 15,071 hospitalizations due to COVID-19 as of August 11th. As you can see in the graph below, this figure represents 148% of the previous peak set on July 23, 2020.
As the Miami Herald reports, more than 24% of patients in Florida hospitals are there for COVID-19 compared with a national average of 8.7%. In Florida, more than 43% of ICU beds are taken up by COVID-19 patients, compared to a national average of less than 20%.
Experts also note that hospitalizations and deaths are lagging datapoints, meaning that as we continue to see new COVID-19 case numbers increase, we will likewise see an increase in hospitalizations and deaths over the coming weeks.
Face Mask Rules
At Walt Disney World, guests are required to wear face coverings indoors, but there are no physical distancing requirements.
Data provided by the CDC puts Orange County Florida in the “high” transmission category. Through August 9th, the recorded case rate per 100,000 individuals over the last 7 days sits at 633.39.
As we noted when the most recent CDC guidelines came out, Disney will likely adhere to guidelines set at the national and local levels. Practically, this means that Orange County will need to lower that 633.39 figure to below 50 to qualify for the “moderate” tier, which is the tier that the CDC recommendations allow indoor masking to be dropped. At this rate, we expect that the indoor mask mandate will be in place for weeks, if not months.
Disney has not provided any long-term forecasts on its health and safety measures beyond that they will follow the guidance of medical experts and officials.
Get vaccinated: https://www.vaccines.gov/
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