Miami-Dade County is among nine areas in Florida where the coronavirus has become so widespread again that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday recommended masks or face coverings indoors and in public transports.
Key Biscayne and other Florida local governments are barred from enforcing broad masking laws due to rules established by Governor Ron DeSantis and the state legislature.
Palm Beach, Broward, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Sarasota, Polk and Alachua counties join Miami-Dade as “high-risk” areas of the CDC’s “Community Level” classification system, which links the number of COVID cases -19 to the number of health care systems in each county.
Miami-Dade County officials are still encouraging good hygiene and the use of masks for those with underlying conditions or testing positive as a precaution.
In Florida, COVID cases have climbed an average of 49,815 each week since May 6, according to the Florida Health Department, double the amount from the two weeks before that date.
The CDC’s recommendation came at the start of Memorial Day weekend, when concerts, family gatherings and sporting events, including Sunday’s NBA playoffs at FTX Arena between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics , are often prevalent.
To qualify in the high-risk category, counties must have at least 200 new COVID cases per 100,000 population, and either 10 COVID-positive hospitalized patients per 100,000 population, or at least 10% hospitalized patients with COVID-19. sickness.
According to the latest CDC measurements, the case rate in Miami-Dade County is 588.01 per 100,000 population; 15.7 new COVID-related admissions per 100,000; and 4.3% of hospital beds related to people with the disease.
Miami-Dade County’s seven-day average rate of positive tests rose to 19% from 17% a week ago. There was also an increase of 138 cases reported daily from the previous week, with the total rising from 11,283 to 12,252 over the past seven days.
The median age of these cases was 44 years old, with 12.4% attributed to children aged 5 to 17 and 20.8% to those aged 18 to 34.
In the 33149 zip code, which encompasses Key Biscayne, 121 cases were reported last week (72 the previous week). This is the same total as in the nearby 33132 zip code which includes Midtown and Downtown Miami.