Omicron Variant In South Florida Appears To Be In Retreat, Not Out Of The Woods Yet
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - The U.S. is now averaging nearly 2,500 new COVID-19 related deaths a day, a three percent increase from last week, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Though new infections are on the decline, Florida is holding steady, rarely seeing under 15,000 cases a day since mid-December.
But there is some good news.
In Miami-Dade, and across South Florida, the Omicron variant appears to be in retreat, but experts warn we may not be done yet.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava tweeted on Monday the seven-day positivity rate for the county was down to 15 percent, 134 patients with COVID are in hospital ICU beds, and close to 15,000 tests were administered on Sunday.
She encouraged people to continue getting vaccinated, wear masks when necessary, and get tested if needed.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said COVID-related hospitalizations are down 15 percent from a week ago.
With new infections falling, some experts warn we are not out of the woods yet.
"We are a good part of the way through this Omicron wave but we're not close to the end right now," said former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb.
He pointed to daily deaths jumping by about 30 percent across the U.S. in the last two weeks due to the Omicron variant.
On Monday at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C., the bells tolled for more than an hour, marking the grim milestone of more than 900,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic