COVID-19 In South Florida: Wait Times Increase But Hospitalization Rates Are Not Spiking
MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, it was another record COVID-19 testing day at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday.
More than 3,000 vehicles were lined up with a wait time up to two hours. The lines are expected to stay that way all week, so organizers say be prepared with a full tank of gas and pre-register to save time.
Most testing sites will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, although the Miami Beach Convention Center drive up only location is open Thursday from 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Sites closed for the holiday will reopen Friday.
At the Mitchell Moore walk up testing site in Pompano Beach, the wait wasn't nearly as long as the one at Hard Rock Stadium.
Janae Green and her mother said they were getting tested because a family member was exposed to someone with the virus.
While testing is going strong, there is no spike in South Florida hospitalization rates.
On Monday, Jackson Health says COVID patients occupy approximately 120 out of 2400 beds.
Memorial Healthcare reports 130 out of 1742 beds have COVID patients.
Broward Health says only 73 out of more than 1,500 beds have COVID patients.
Broward Health says it is converting its infusion centers, where patients receive things like cancer treatments, for COVID therapies so the most at-risk COVID patients can be e given the newly emergency approved IV drugs.
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Meanwhile, Florida reported 6,331 additional cases of COVID-19 in the state on Monday bringing the total number of cases to 944,745.
Statewide, deaths rose by 96 to 18,310.
The daily positivity rate is 7.01% and the two-week positivity rate is 7.84%.
Miami-Dade had 1,499 additional cases added bringing the total to 216,442.
The daily positivity rate is 7.15% and the two-week positivity rate average is 8.23%.
Broward had 688 additional cases added bringing the total to 101,747.
The daily positivity rate increased is 6.36% and the two-week positivity rate average is 7.46%.
